Reunited
by failureisjustsuccessindisguise
Summary: After some calls and grumbles, Carter is set out to protect Princess Isabella Leila Francisca Raihson. When she gets there she gets more than she thought she would. She reunites with an old friend in need of help, in more ways than one. *I changed the rating because it's technically not M yet. The rating will change when I get there*
1. Chapter 1

_**C**_

_!Beep, Beep, Beep_! I woke to a startling noise. I turned in my bed and saw my alarm clock buzzing and flashing 8:45. I groggily shut it off and got up from my bed. My bed, I didn't know how much of a foreign concept that would become when I went into The Secret Service. But it has. It's like I don't know what it feels like to have a life. I don't have a life. Its just me, myself and I, 343 days a year. No relationships. It's not worth it. I get two weeks off a years, most of the time it's sporadically. So, there would be no time for a relationship, even if I wanted on. But being in it since I was 19, I'm pretty much used to it now. I don't have to worry about anything when I'm away from my apartment.

I tried out a cat my first year; to have something to come home to, but I guess my neighbor got tired of feeding him because when I got home Cody, my playful young orange tom cat was lying dead on the tile floor of the bathroom. It hurt, ya, but I can't say I didn't expect it. So after that I kept my home pet free. Now going on my fifth year in the SS, I don't bother. I still hurts to be alone, but it's easier that way. I have no one to worry about but myself.

This year was a good year though, my vacation days were back to back. I have three weeks, 21 days, 504 hours to do absolutely nothing but sleep and be alone. Yay. The only good thing is I don't have the hustle and bustle that I have when I'm on duty or a mission. I don't have to sleep with one eye open, so to speak. That was the only good thing. I didn't like being alone, don't get me wrong, I hated it, but I didn't want to have to worry about them, or worse, have them worry about me. It also wouldn't be fare to them, I was gone almost all year. So I stay alone, with the exception of my dad, who I see every once in a while because he still has his job with the PPP. He's still saving Pretty Prissy Princesses, I joke with him. Although I have a different perception of princesses now because of the one and only Princess Rosalinda Maria Montoya Fiore.. The one and only ruler of Costa Luna. She sent my mind in a whirlwind in so many ways. _She still does._

"What are you doing Carter?" I ask myself in the mirror as I splash my face with cold water, initially waking myself up. I still think about her and the time she spent with my dad and I, how can't I? She was my first crush, she made it final. She made what I had known for years before I suppose, but she finalized it. I was gay. I knew though that she didn't match my feelings. One time though, I perhaps had a slip of judgment.

**_Flashback_**

_"Carter?" I heard a soft whisper, almost not catching it. Then it happened again._

_"Carter?" A hint louder. I turned to see Rosie sitting up in her bed, perfectly poised, with a pillow in her lap. She looked terrified._

_"Yes, Rosie?" I asked as I turned around to face her._

_"I am frightened." She said in her perfect grammar that annoyed me and yet enticed me just the same. I sighed. What could she be scared of now? All it was doing was raining, well more like pouring, outside._

_"Why?" I asked stretching, trying to wake myself up. As she opened her mouth to speak a loud crash came through the silence along after with a brief flash of light. She nearly jumped a foot off of her bed. As I watched her, I saw tears almost push past her eyes before she silently push them back, composing herself before she spoke._

_"Of that." She said, her voice breaking slightly. I sighed again._

_"Don't you have rain storms in Costa Luna?" I asked her._

_"Yes, but they are not loud. They are actually very peaceful and comforting." She said smiling a little, probably remembering her home. Her smiling didn't last long because another loud bang hit the air, making her jump once again. I let out groan of annoyance, knowing what I had to do. I waited a couple of seconds, really not wanting to do this, but if I actually wanted to get some sleep I guess it had to be done._

_"Would you like to sleep in my bed, Rosie?" Rosie looked away from me. I initially took that as a no, so I turned back around, trying to fall back asleep. It was five minutes and two thunder crashes later before I felt my bed dip. I looked over where Rosie was sitting to find it empty. Finally. I closed my eyes, waiting for sleep to accompany me. I was just drifting off when I heard my name yet again come from the princess' lips. I took a deep breath and let it out before I turned to face the thing, person, princess, that was keeping me from the one thing I wanted at the moment._

_"Yes, Rosie?" I asked for what it seemed the upteenth time. I heard her swallow before she spoke._

_"My mother hugs me when I am frightened in the night." She stated looking at me. I didn't know what to say. Did she want me to cuddle with her? I must have been in my mind for to long because she spoke again._

_"Will you hug my while I fall asleep, Carter?" She asked in her voice that was too sweet for me to say no._

_"You want me to cuddle with you?" I asked almost surprised. She looked up at me, biting her lip, and nodded. Why did my dad have to bring home a cute princess? I didn't want a princess in my house at all. But why did she have to be cute?_

_"Come here." I said after her eyes widened at another strike of thunder. She came closer to me and I wrapped my arms around her as she closed her eyes. I waited for a couple of minutes before I let mine do the same. As I did, I felt Rosie snuggle closer to me. Seconds later I felt a soft pair of lips on my cheek and a breathy whisper there after._

_"Thank you, Carter, I am no longer frightened." I had my eyes closed for about a half an hour after that. I was awake just waiting for her breathing to slow saying that she was officially asleep. Then and only then did I let sleep beckon me and I fell into the best slumber I ever had, with a content smile on my face._

I hit myself in the head. I wasn't supposed to be thinking about this! Why couldn't I get over this miniscule crush? God, Its been five years! Rosie is now Queen Rosalinda Maria Montoya Fiore, she has probably forgotten about me anyway. I was getting myself all hyped up over nothing. Stop it. I mentally scolded myself. I decided it'd be best to distract myself from my thoughts like I always do, running on my treadmill. I went to my basement, where I kept it, grabbing my Ipod on the way down. I got on the treadmill, sticking my earbuds in my ears . I turned my Ipod on, blasting my workout mix, and started the treadmill on high. Instantly I was running.

_**R**_

I woke to the sun shining in through my bedroom window. Wincing as I stared at it head on, instantly turning my head back. When I did I found the typical, no Antonio. What happened? He was so sweet and romantic when he was courting my hand. But when, after three years, I finally accepted he changed dramatically. I front of our people he was still that guy, sweet and respecting. He had all of the women swooning, they thought he was the best man in the kingdom. What they didn't know, what we kept hidden, what he made me hide, was his evil side. In the beginning he only let it out behind closed doors, when he knew we would not be bothered by staff or my mother. But months after that started, he got a little more confident. He would hold me a little tighter, giving me just the amount of inflict that he wanted, keeping his smile on his face. The smile I have come to fear, that which others melt at. Now he sneaks evil stares at me, making me cringe every time I see him. He likes the power. He reminds me of a movie I saw years ago. Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. One I have never heard of until Carter introduced me to it. The thought of a person having that much of a split personality then scared me. But I didn't believe it could happen in real life. Now I'm living with my own monster. _Carter_... She introduced me to so much in the short time I was there. She always knew how to comfort me.

I was jumped out of my thoughts by a wail. I slightly cringed as I got out of bed. Last night, Antonio was in the mood for one of his domination sessions. But no matter how much pain I was in, I still had to get up.

"Isabella, what's wrong?" I said as I stared down at my precious baby girl sitting in her crib crying and loud as her little lungs could get. She looked up at me and paused for a brief second before starting her tantrum again. I knelt down to pick her up, regretting it almost instantly when a pain shot up from my abdomen. I drew in a breath and knelt down again slowly. My baby came before myself, and she will until I die. As I got her up she was still crying, I didn't know what could be bothering her.

"What's wrong, honey?" I asked knowing she wouldn't answer me, after all she just turned one. She stopped for a moment when she heard my voice and started yet again. I tried bouncing her on my hip to no prevail she didn't stop. I tried to burp her, she still continued to have a fit. I didn't know what to do. I felt so helpless and I despised it. I bet Carter would know what to do. No, I hadn't seen her interact with children, let alone babies, but I know she could fix it because she was Carter. I sighed. Why was I thinking about a girl who I haven't seen in five years. I'm not sure if she even liked me or was she just nice because she was told to by her father. I guess I'll never know.

Just as I was trying to calm Isabella down, Meredith, the palace nanny, came in looking worried. I looked from her to Isabella, who had yet to stop crying. I frowned a little bit. I swore to myself that my daughter would not be raised by nannies as I had. But yet here I was, not sure on how to comfort Isabella, my own child, my on flesh and blood. I felt defeated. Meredith must have seen it because she put a reassuring hand on my shoulder with a smile.

"My queen, do not fret, you are a new mother, it is normal to be confused on some things." I gave her a small smile.

"Now let me see the young princesa." I reluctantly handed Isabella over to her. She looked at her for just a second and put her finger in her mouth. She let out a knowing 'Ahh'. Once she put her finger in her mouth Isabella stopped crying. I was stunned.

"The princesa is teething, that is all." She said handing her back to me. Isabella started crying again. That until Meredith handed her a freeze toy, which Isabella started gnawing on. I grateful smile spread on my face.

"Thank you." I said as she was leaving.

"You are welcome, My Queen." She said as she went out the door. I smiled at my baby who was now as happy as ever. I placed her in her crib and walked back into the bedroom so I could prepare for the day.

I went into my closet to select what I wanted to wear today. Today wasn't anything special, so I guess I could wear something casual. I picked a maroon colored dress. I got my undergarments and headed off to the shower.

Once I got in there, the water hit my skin and I felt stinging all over my body. I hurried and washed myself and got out as quick as possible. Wrapping the towel around myself I went to my bedroom where I laid my clothes. I was about to change when the door open and closed. I knew who that was. My husband. Antonio. I fearfully cringed as I heard his footsteps get closer. I didn't dare look at him. So I kept my gaze on the yet to be made bed. I stiffened as I heard his steps come to a halt and his breath on my neck.

"Look at me, My Queen." He said as I slowly turned toward him. Knowing if I didn't he'd make me. He smiled and I did everything not to cringe. Queens do not fear, they stand tall.

"Yes, My King?" I said looking him.

"All ready for me I see." He said as he put his hands on my towel.

"We have breakfast with my mother in 20 minutes, Antonio." I said keeping my composure. He didn't look to happy. He forcefully yanked the towel from my body and pushed me on the bed with one hand as his other undid his pants. Once I was on the bed he pulled them off along with his shirt and climbed on the bed. He climbed up on the bed until he was on top of my looking down. He smiled and then it turned to an evil look.

"You will give me an heir suitable to run Las Costas, Rosalinda." He said forcefully. Tears were pricking at my eyes but I refused to let them fall. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"You have one, Isabella, remember?" I asked getting mad. He laughed.

"That brat? Ha! She is not suitable. I will have a son." One tear fell down my cheek as he called out daughter a brat before I spat in his face. I know I shouldn't, it was no where near suitable Queen etiquette, but he was no suitable king. This of course made him fuming. He slapped me across the face.

"Listen, My Queen, you will give me an heir to my thrown whether you want to or not. I do not mind being forceful." With that he picked me up by my neck and threw me on the floor. As I hit the floor I closed my eyes trying to brace myself. He then climbed off the bed and picked me up again and slammed me against a wall. Right as he did that, he entered me. I screamed. I was no where near ready for that. He silenced me by covering my mouth with his lips forcefully. As he continued to slam into me. I screamed each time, wishing it would be over soon. A couple of minutes later I could tell he was close by the way he was grunting and looking at the wall and not gazing menacingly at me. He was distracted in getting to his release, which was what I wanted. I took his state of distraction to push him away from me and out of me. I tried to run but her caught me on the elbow and grabbed hard.

"I told you I wanted and heir and God damn it, I will get one!" He he yelled at me before slamming me on a different wall, the wall which Isabella's crib was against in the connecting room. As I hit against the wall I heard Isabella start to wail again. He pushed himself up against me, trapping me against the wall and himself. Even as I was trying to catch my breath from the impact of being thrown against the wall my thoughts went to my crying baby.

"Isabella is crying." I said trying to get my breath.

"So?" He said entering me again, this time slowly. For his benefit, not mine.

"I have to go check on her!" I screamed at him, trying to push him off again, but I failed.

"You are not going anywhere!" He yelled grabbing my hair, making me yell out in pain as I unwillingly allowed the tears to finally fall down my face. It took mere seconds this time and he finally got his release. He grunted as he was done and quickly hurried out of the room.

I fell against the wall. While my silent tears were falling from my face, Isabella was crying loudly. I tried to get up, but my body hurt all over and I failed to comfort my baby before I fell into darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

_**C**_

Well, this was day five of my three week vacation and I was already bored out of my mind. I was starting to think having them laid out in different blocks wasn't that bad after all. I did nothing these past days except run on my treadmill and I talked to my dad once. I bought a fish yesterday. I know, I said no pets. But I was lonely! He's a blue fish that I named Sparky. So far today Sparky and I have done nothing but watch Lifetime. What a life, watching tv with a fish. I', currently watching him swim round and round the round the clear container. That's how bored I was. Watching that so long was making me dizzy. I got up from the couch deciding taking a nap would be good for me.

_!Buzz, Buzz, Buzz!_ Ugh. I turned over slapping my alarm clock and putting my face back in the pillow.

_!Buzz, Buzz, Buzz!_ Ugh. I turned back over to look at my alarm clock 10:23PM. Why would my alarm clock be going off at night? I heard the sound again and figured out it was my cell phone not my clock. I grabbed my cell phone, flipping it open, answering it.

"Hello?" I said as I slightly yawned, waking up.

_"Major Mason?"_ The voice asked. That didn't sound like her director.

"Yes, how may I help you?" I said now sitting up in my bed.

_"Excuse me, this is the director of The PPP."_ Ok, why were they calling me?

"Yeah, I think you got the wrong Major Mason." There was a pause on the other end of the line.

_"This is _Carter_ Mason, am I correct?" _Now she was really confused.

"Yes, this is Major Carter Mason, but I don't associate with The PPP. My dad is in the PPP. Are you sure you didn't mean to call him?"

_"No, you are the one I am supposed to call. Your father gave me your number."_

"Why, I don't work for PPP and I'm on my break." Although I hated being bored, I don't want to waste my only break time this year with a stuck up princess.

_"Your dad requested you take it."_ Why would my dad want me to go on a case for PPP? He knows how I feel about them, princesses. I let out a breath.

"Ok. Where is it and when do I take off?" Carter was mentally kicking herself for taking it. But she was bored and it would give her something to do.

_"I'm glad you agreed and I can't tell you where it is, that is confidential at this time. You will find out when you arrive at your destination and a jet plane will arrive in the field behind you apartment in T-23 hrs. Thank you, and good luck Major Mason." _And with the the other line when dead. She tossed her phone back on her night stand. Carter plopped back down on her bed. The plane would arrive a ten tomorrow night. She had to pack. Oh nice, she had to pack clothes for a place where she didn't know the weather and how long she'd be staying. That is why she didn't like The PPP. She sighed frustrated.

* * *

The next day, Carter woke up at 12:10. She drowsily looked at her alarm clock and jumped a little at how late it was. She never woke up this late, she always woke up before 10. Then she remembered last night and how she shut her alarm off accidentally. She banged her head off of her pillow before fully getting up and getting in the shower. She took a long shower to try and relax herself before she packed.

Once she got out she dressed in jeans and a plain black t-shirt and headed to her bedroom to start packing.

"What the hell do I pack?" I asked nobody in particular. She sighed and just decided to pack her normal attire which consisted of jeans, t-shirts and a couple of sweatshirts. She thought about it for a couple of minutes and decided to add some shorts just in case it was somewhere hot and my winter jacket if it was freezing. With everything in she decided to go to the kitchen and grab something to eat, it was only five o'clock, and she hadn't eaten all day since she woke up late.

Carter looked at her phone, checking the time. It was 9:50, she had ten minutes. She decided to go out and wait. As she walked past her living room where her fish was kept. She looked at him, stopping to watch him swim. She sighed looking at him. Now she wished she hadn't gotten him, he was going to die just like her cat. She decided it'd be best to at least let him die with dignity. So, she decided to give him his last meal. She left her bags by the front door and went to get his food. She sprinkle five times the amount on the can told her too.

"Nice knowing ya, Sparky." She said leaving her apartment with only one thought. Where was she gonna find a mini grave stone? She shook her head, closing and locking her door and heading out back.

She headed to the place where the person told her they'd pick her up. Right on the dot, 10:00 she looked up to see a helicopter like structure coming down a couple feet away from her. Once the engine was cut she made her way toward it. Lifting her bags in, she looked at the pilot. "Major." He greeted politely and gave her a small smile, which she returned.

"How long will it take to get there?" She asked once they were off the ground.

"A few hours, at least." He said as she got comfortable, or as comfortable as she could get in a noisy plane.

"So, can you tell me where we're going?" She asked hoping he would.

"I'm sorry, Major Mason." He looked at her apologetically.

"Why can't anyone tell me where I'm going?" Carter had just enough. Then she saw the pilot's face. She was embarrassed at her own outburst.

"Sorry." She said her face a tint redder than before. He just nodded turning back to his job.

Carter watched out the window for a while, but soon after she drifted off to sleep. When she awakened she saw the pilot taking her stuff out from the back of the small-engine plane before looking at her.

"Yes, we are here." He said as he finished setting her luggage outside of the plane. She jumped out of the plane herself walking with him. She felt sort of uncomfortable with him caring all of her luggage, him being like three times her own age.

"You do know I can caring them." She stated. He took a glance at her before turning back to facing front.

"That wont be necessary, ma'am." Carter shrugged giving up, still following him up the long way to the palace.

"So can you tell me where I am now?" She asked, breaking the silence once again. She was very impatient and what little she had was wearing thin. Still, he shook his head continuing facing forward. But before she could speak, he spoke up.

"The queen will introduce you to the land, it is nobody's purpose but hers. It is her land after all." He said now walking in the huge place.

Carter walked in the monstrous building getting an oddly fimiliar feeling. She shook that off. She followed the man who still had a hold of her bags into room about the size of a normal living room, but this room had a king size bed with maroon bed spread and gold bannisters and canopy a shade lighter than the blanket. It also had paintings that only one would set her in debt for the rest of her life.

"Here you go, Miss." The pilot said setting her stuff down and heading toward the door.

"Wait, you're leaving?" She asked confused. The silent man nodded his head and disappeared from Carter's sight. Carter sighed before sitting carefully on the bed.

'Great now I'm in a place in I don't know where, all alone again! What the-' She was clear from her thoughts by someone lightly tapping on the door. She looked at the open door to find a man in a polite suit.

"Yes?" Carter asked. The man entered the room slightly.

"The princesa is ready to meet you." The man spoke up. 'Oh, she's ready to see me? We're on her schedule? Last time I knew she was the one who needed to be protected..' Carter was yet again interupted by the man.

"Are you ready?" He asked politely. 'No, but lets get this over with'

"Yes, lead the way." Carter said a little over dramatically. The man nodded giving her a weird look. The man took her through some hallways and through a couple of different room before he stopped and said he would have the princess brought in.

I looked around the room and saw it decorated in the utmost delicacy. Everything looked so ancient I didn't dare to look at it. Why'd I have to do this. Now I'm gonna have to babysit a friggin' princess! Why, why, why? I heard another knock and two people came in the room, they had the same suit on as the man before.

"Major Mason, let me introduce you to Princess Isabella Leila Francisca Raihson. She will be in your care as long as necessary." The suited butler said to the left said. I rolled by eyes at how formal they were. Ok, where is the princess that is about to waltz in here with the 'look at me' stance. But next I saw a short-statured older woman come in with a baby no older than two. I blinked a few times.

"That's the princess?" I asked not quite getting it.

"Yes." He said completely serious. I nodded trying to adjust to the princess I was going to be looking after.

"How old is she?" I asked, needing to know.

"Just over a year." The same one answered.

"Ok, umm." I didn't know how I was going to ask this. But it had to be done.

"Can I hold her?" I asked. I didn't want to break her, for all I know she could be the 107th grandchild of the founders and only heir of the thrown left here...where ever here was.

_**R**_

Sitting on a chair in my bedroom, I was waiting. Waiting to hear from Jeffery. Today was the day The PPP was to take Isabella and keep her safe while I couldn't. I had just handed her off to Merideth to get her changed, now I was just in this room alone, wondering what was happening in the rooms around me. I couldn't wait for Major Mason to get here. He was the only one I trusted with Isabella, well other than myself. If it couldn't be me, its him and him only. I heard a light tap on the door.

"Come in." I answered. It was Jeffery.

"Hello, your Highness." He said to me.

"Hello, Jeffery. How is Isabella?"

"She is quite alright." He answered kind of softly.

"Is Major Mason here?" I asked. He said he would come get me when and only when Major Mason has arrived.

"Not quite, Madam." This started worried me.

"You said you would come find me when he arrived." I restated what he had said earlier.

"Yes, you are correct, Madam, but you see, Major Mason was busy on another mission actually." He said not meeting my eyes.

"So Major Mason is not here?" I asked calmly.

"No."

"Ok, so where is my daughter? May I see her?" I asked in the same tone.

"She is with Major Mason's second in command, ma'am." He said.

"Jeffery, that just will not do," I said getting up from my chair, still feeling an aching from what happened just a couple nights ago.

"I remember stating Major Mason or no one." I started walking toward the door.

"Yes, Madam." He said following me.

"So, if it is not Major Mason, I do not want my daughter with anyone other than me." I walked a little quicker.

"My Queen." He said after me, walking faster.

"But his second in command is just as good as him, he said so himself." He said as we neared the door. I did not listen, I was intent on getting my daughter away from this stranger.

"Queen Rosalinda, please."

_**C**_

"Aw, arn't you a cutie pie." I cooed. I think I could like this princess. Isabella gurgled in response. I've been alone with her for about ten minutes now. We've gotten to know each other, well sorta. I was tickling her tummy when I heard camotion outside the door. Probably the stuck up queen who wants her daughter with her, even if shes in danger instead of her being safe with someone under her. I scoffed. And then listened in.

"Queen Rosalinda, please." _No, it can't be_.

**_R_**

"Ok, Jeffery, who did Major Mason recommend?" I asked as I opened the door to see a dark-haired woman turn around.

"His daughter, Major Carter Mason."


	3. Chapter 3

_**R**_

I was too shocked to say anything. Her eyes widen in what I presumed to be surprise as well. Something inside me swooned just a bit, she remembered me. This silence was getting too uncomfortable. I cleared my throat.

"Well this isn't the Major Mason I expected." I said still in a trance of shock. I saw Jeffery shake his head and mumble something out of the corner of my eye. Then I saw him leave. I wanted to call him back, so I didn't have to be alone in this unsettling feeling in the air. But I didn't, I could handle this. I hope.

"Well this isn't the princess I expected." Carter came back with a smile as she held Isabella slightly up in the air. Isabella giggled as she did so. That made me smile.

"She has seemed to take quite a liking to you Ca-Major Mason." I said as I should. Her eye brows went down at this. She seemed to shake it off and looked back at Isabella and smiled.

"We bonded while we were in here, haven't we?" She asked Isabella who just stared up at her.

_**C**_

There was silence filling the air yet again. So I decided to break it.

"So my dad's the only one you trust with your daughter?" I asked. She quiet for a minute.

"Yes. That is until I saw it was you who was in there. I do trust her life, as well as mine, with you also." She still hasn't said my name. That irked me. So I decided to go along with whatever she was doing.

"So, Queen Rosalinda, they said you would escort me in a tour of the palace." As I said it I could see a small crack in her demeanor before is was cover up again.

"Very well." She said as we filed out of the room. I looked down at the baby in my arms. She was sleeping.

"Your daughter seems to have fallen asleep." I said. I saw a small hint of a smile play on her lips.

"Follow me, I'll show you to her room." I nodded as I silently followed her. When we got there I handed Isabella to her and she gently put her in her crib and shut the door quietly.

"So, where would you like to go first. The kitchen, music room, garden, hall?" She offered after we'd been walking for a couple of minutes.

"You have a garden?" She nodded wordlessly.

"Lets go there."

We walked silently to the garden. When we got there I was speechless, it such was a beautiful place. They had assorted flowers all over in all different arrangements. Rosie stopped and looked across a long valley in the distance. I took this time to take her in. With the sun where it was, the light hit her face at the perfect angle. She had turned from a beautiful, graceful teen princess to a flawless, just as graceful woman. Her face hadn't changed a bit. But I have yet to see the smile that had me catch my breath. Then something caught my eye. I reached out my palm and cupped her chin, my thumb resting on her cheek. She must have not noticed because I was sure that if she had she would have turned away. To my surprise she leaned into my hand. I rubbed me thumb on her high cheek bone and was surprised when some pale power came off. _Make-up? _I gasped at what was under it. A light purple bruise. She must of heard me because she instantly got out of my embrace and turned to me.

"Rosie?" I asked quietly. I saw her face fall, sh looked like she was about to cry. But then she shook her head.

"No, not here, Carter." She used my name. I was about to ask what she meant but she grabbed my hand and tugged me back into the palace and into a room where we were alone. When we got in the room she locked the door and looked back at me with the same expression. The silence came over us again.

"What happened, Rosie?" I asked in a soft tone. I saw one stray tear make its way down her face. She walked toward the bed in the room and sat down and I followed suit.

"Antonio." She answered. Who was Antonio? Was that code for something? Was I suppose to know what that meant? Why didn't I know what that meant? All these questions clouded my mind.

"Antonio is my husband." And there it was. I didn't try to hide the surprised expression on my face.

"You're married?" I asked still not believe that girl who just years ago stayed at my house was married and had a baby. She just nodded her head. Then it all registered in my head. The bruise I discovered, Antonio was the cause of it. Damn him! How could he dare hurt someone as sweet and beautiful as my Rosie? _Wait, my Rosie?_ I shook my head. Somehow my hands wound up fisted in the bedspread in my thoughts.

"Carter?" Rosie asked knocking me out of my thoughts.

"He did that?" I asked bringing one of my hands slowly and gently from the bed to her covered bruised cheek.

_**R**_

I didn't dare speak all I could do was nod. I closed my eyes trying to stop my tears from flowing but it only made them fall. I looked up to Carter through my blurry vision. She looked mad for some odd reason. I saw her eyes lock with mine and her face was an odd mixture, I was not sure of what.

"What else did he do, Rosie?" I heard her ask as I closed my eyes, letting more tears silently fall.

"I can not say it now, Carter. Please do not make me, I am too ashamed." I said as the tears started to flow harder and my voice was starting to get affected. I saw her face turn from anger to the mixed again. I closed my eyes again, taking deep breaths, trying to redeem my composure. I had not been this uncomposed in front of anyone since I had become queen. I saw her nod her head silently staring intently across the room. I closed my eyes again as my tears slowed.

_**C**_

I took my eyes off of the wall across the room and put them on Rosie. She had her eyes closed.

"Rosie, you have nothing, _nothing_, to be ashamed of. Whatever he did to you you did not deserve and its _not_ your fault. But, no, you don't have to tell me now if you don't want to. You don't have to tell me at all." I saw her open her eyes and nod.

"Thank you, Carter." She gave me a weak smile. That gave me mixed emotions. I wanted to fucking beat the shit out of her so-called husband, but I also want to take her in my arms and protect her, tell her everything will be fine from now on with her and her baby because I'm here.

"Carter?" I turned to look at her.

"Yes, Rosie?" I mentally laughed at the coincidence.

"Do you think you could maybe sleep with me?" She asked. If I had not been aware of what she had been through and the situation now, my eyes would have bugged out of my head. A smile appeared on my face, same ol' Rosie. Making something that is taken so dirty in America, but to her she doesn't even consider it.

"Right now?" I asked as she nodded.

"Ok." I said getting up and taking off my boots and getting to the big bed we were previously sitting on. Rosie looked up at me as we lay beside each other not touching. After a few moments of quiet she spoke up.

"May I cuddle with you?" She looked at me expectantly. Only she would ask about a thing like that. My smile widened as I nodded my head and I opened up my arms. She came closer and nuzzled her head in the crook between my neck and shoulder. I sighed happily. She fit in my arms like a missing puzzle piece. _My missing puzzle piece. _I laid there for what seemed like ever just happy to have Rosie back in my arms, hearing her breathe in and out peacefully. When I felt my eye lids start drooping, I welcomed it, knowing I was about to have the most restful nap I've had in a long time.

_**R**_

I woke to a tapping on my door. I tried to get up but I was held down. I started to fear what I would see but that all disappeared when I saw who had their arms around me. I just laid back in the comfort of Carter's embrace that I had missed all these years. My eyes opened when the tapping started again. I didn't want it to wake Carter. I glanced at her, her face was contently pushed into the pillow. I smiled at the way she was sleeping. I didn't know who it was, but I didn't want to get up from Carter. 'Maybe if I ignore them they'll go away.' I know that's not a very good thought for a queen to have but I missed feeling this...happy, safe. I closed my eyes again. And for a couple of seconds I was in bliss again. That was until there was more taps followed by a "My Queen?" I sighed, it was Jeffery. I couldn't ignore him.

"Come in, Jeffery." I said just above a whisper. Then I heard the door open. Then I saw Carter stir and take her arms off my waist, the coldness I felt when they were gone made me want to frown. But I did not. I stifled a laugh when I saw her hair. Here it was not proper, especially for the queen, to laugh at one of her people's appearance. She looked at me and smiled which I returned. Then she looked where I previously was looking, while I continued to be mesmerized by her cuteness. _Wait, what?_

"Hey, Jeff, right?" She said addressing Jeffery whom I did not even see come in. I actually did let out a small giggle at his face at her greeting. Thankfully only she heard. She briefly turned to me and gave me a smile.

"It's Jeffery actually, Ma'am." He said politely.

"Ahh, alright, Jeff." Carter said back. I cleared my throat to stifle another laugh and to address Jeffery.

"What was it you needed, Jeffery." I said taking back my role as Queen Rosalinda, not Rosie. It was hard when Carter was here, very hard. He turned his face from Carter to me.

"My Queen, it has to do with your king." My face fell, all glee out of my stature.

"Yes?" I said for him to continue. He took his eyes off of me and eyed Carter who saw.

"Um, Rosie, I can leave if you'd like." She said starting to get up. No, I wanted, _needed_ her here.

"No, that is quite fine, you may stay." I said as she stopped and sat up on the bed as I did.

"You may continue, Jeffery." I said looking back at him.

"Well miss, I've been informed to pass on to you that King Antonio has left the palace, all of Costa Luna actually." I had suspected much. He'd gone too far this time and her knew it, if he had stayed he'd be captured and locked up by now.

"They believe he has gone back to his homeland, Costa Frica. As you know, by ship it takes seven days and by flight it takes four to get there." I nodded.

"We also have right to believe once he gets there he will be planning an attack on Costa Luna." My eyes widened at that remark.

"We all have come to a decision that you are to leave Costa Luna by this time Friday, three days."

"What?" I asked. "What about my daughter? You are going to split us up? She is only a baby." I started to worry and Carter noticed. She put a warm hand on my shoulder.

"No miss you and the princesa will be-" Jeffery was interrupted by a knock at the door. It was Meredith. She had a whining Isabella in her hands.

"I am sorry to interrupt, Ma'am, but I tried everything and she hasn't stopped. I think she wants her mother." She gave me a smile. I sighed and smiled in return, taking Isabella in my arms and slightly rocking her.

"That is alright, Meredith, thank you." With that she left.

"Jeffery will you please give my daughter and I a couple of minutes?" He nodded his head silently closing the door on his way out. I looked at Carter who was just observing the scene in front of her. Once her eyes looked with mine; I gave her an apologetic smile before leaving to the connected room, Isabella's room, to comfort her.

_**C**_

I watched as Rosie left to the other room with her baby. I still couldn't wrap my mind around Rosie having a daughter, though she does. Things sure do change in five years, alright. I decided to take a peek at Rosie and the baby. I silently snuck and lent against the door-less frame. It was a beautiful sight. I didn't think watching a woman with her baby would be so mind blowing, but with Rosie is was. You could tell she would give her life to protect her child. I always knew she'd be a good mother. I watched as Rosie slightly jumped. Did I just say that out loud? She turned around to look at me. I guess I did. She smiled at me.

"I guess she was right, she just wanted her mom." I said making a comment as the nanny said. Rosie smiled.

"Yes, I suppose." She said walking back to her bedroom with Isabella. She laid Isabella gently in the middle of the big bed then turned back to me.

"But sometimes I feel so helpless. There are times when I don't know what to do to make her stop fussing and I have to call the nanny in." Rosie frowned slightly as she said that.

"That's to be expected, Rosie, you are a young mom, a first time mother, even you can't know everything. Just because you have to ask for help doesn't mean you are a bad mother. I don't think Bella will hold it against you." I said making a joke. Her eyebrows shot up for a second.

"Bella?" She questioned, Shit. Did I just overstep my boundaries?

"I'm sorry I didn't mean-" She interrupted me with her incredible laugh.

"Carter, it is ok. I was only kidding." She smiled that great smile I missed. I smiled back. Rosie went to go check on Isabella on the bed. I watched her interact with her daughter. Then I decided to ask it.

"Hey, Rosie?" I started. She looked over at me from where she was leaning over her baby.

"Yes, Carter."

"Do you know where you and Isabella will be staying?" I asked, hoping she wouldn't tell me to mind my business. She sighed before fully getting up from the bed.

"No, I do not. It will probably be somewhere underground, safe from attack and heavily guarded." She said looking down. That doesn't sound to good for the baby or fun for Rosie. I walked closer to Rosie, looking her straight in her beautiful mocha eyes.

"Why don't you and your daughter come and stay at my house?"


	4. Chapter 4

**_C_**

"I could not ask that of you, Carter." Was her immediate response. I just smiled and shook my head.

"You're not asking, I am offering. I have a two bedroom complex. Come one, It'll be like old times." I said smiling and playfully nudging her with my elbow. She smiled and was about to speak when Isabella started making little fussing noises. She quickly went over and picked her up.

_**R**_

I was about to answer Carter's question when Isabella made a noise. I quickly went to her side and scooped her in my arms. As I started rocking her and she calmed down, I went back over to Carter.

"Ya, like old times, plus a baby." I said a little disappointed. Don't get me wrong, I love my daughter with all of my heart. I'd die for her, but right now I wish I could just relax with all things going on. But I can't. Carter's smile only widened when I mentioned the baby.

"Well, the more the merrier! Ain't that right?" She asked Isabella as she poked her stomach igniting a giggle from the baby in my arms. I looked at her expectantly.

"Are you sure, Carter. I do not know how long I will have to be away." I said seriously.

"Absolutely." She said in response. I nodded ok.

"Do you mind holding Isabella while I go inform my board of our plans?" She shook her head and I handed the content baby to her. When I did that our arms brushed and I got that warm feeling again, but only for the second and then it was gone. I told her I'd be back in a couple of minutes, then I left.

_**C**_

"Looks like it's just you and me pal, again." I said as I ran a finger slowly across the baby's forehead down her adorable, soft cheek. I smiled when she did.

"I don't think I introduced myself. I'm Mason, Carter Mason." I let out a chuckle as I recited my name like James Bond. I looked down to Bella who let out a big smile, showing her gums.

"You like that, huh?" I asked poking her softly in the stomach and again it got her to giggle, which made me smile. She was an exact replica of Rosie. It made me smile just thinking about if she would look like Rosie when she was older.

"Has anyone told you you look like you mom?" I asked not expecting to get an answer. But I got a smile, which was enough for me.

_**R**_

That was easier than I thought. They all agreed I would be happier and safer staying in the states with "Major Mason's second in command" as they put it. I was happy too because I would be staying with Carter. We have a lot of catching up to do, good and bad. I have a lot to tell her. And to ask what she has been doing since my coronation, when I saw her last. I really have nobody to talk to here in the palace, so it will be a relief to get some things off of my chest.

As I got to my door I stopped and listened at what was going on. The door was cracked just a bit, so I decided to be un-queen like and spy because it was unlikely anyone would catch me and it was just Carter after all.

As I peeked through the ajar door I could see Carter holding Isabella and talking to her. That sight made my heart swell. That just proved my guessing right. Carter was great with babies. I wondered if Carter had any children of her own, or a boyfriend, husband maybe. The thought of her having a man in her life irritated me just a tad. I do not know why, which irritated me more. I sighed. I was over thinking this way too much. I was about to walk in, let my presence known, when I heard Carter talk to Isabella again. I stopped in my spot.

"Well you do look like your mom, you have her chin too." Carter giggled. I sighed, I disliked my dimpled chin.

"You have her adorable smile, which is another good thing. I bet you will be granted with her perfect poise too." Carter tipped Isabella slightly upside down toward the ground. I let out a quiet gasp, fearing she'd drop her. Which was wrong on my part because when she brought her back up seconds later Isabella let a loud coo out followed by and eruption of giggles. I heard Carter laugh along with her.

"Ya, my bet is you'll turn out just like her." I saw Isabella stare up at her. "And that's great." She said poking Isabella in the nose. Carter smiled before staring around the room, at nothing in particular. Then I heard her speak again.

"You know you're a good listener, _for a princess_." She said smiling. I sent a little glare her way before realizing she couldnt see me. I felt a slight blush cover my cheeks, now I am glad she could not see me. I continued watching. I saw her look down at Isabella and smile.

"So that's why, you're asleep." She said to Isabella. I smiled. I heard her playfully sigh. She got up off the bed and went into Isabella's room. I took this as my chance to go into the room unnoticed. I went over to the bed and sat on the side of the bed furthest away from Isabella's door. I heard Carter faintly whisper "Sleep tight, princess." before I heard her start walking out of the room, quietly clicking the door shut. When she was out of the room I heard her sigh.

"Good job, Carter, you're turning into your dad, boring the baby to sleep." She turned around and I guess she finally noticed me because she jump. I smiled.

"Whoa, Rosie, when'd you get here?" She asked. I contemplated whether to tell the truth or to lie. Queen Rosalinda would never lie, but Rosie Gonzalez might, I haven't decided. I guess Rosie could tell little white lies. Yes, that would be ok for her to do. Since this was Carter and I was Rosie to her, I'd do what Rosie would. Besides it's not a lie if I will mention it later, it is more like a ..fib. I nodded my head in confirmation.

"Uh, Rosie?"

"Huh?" I asked I guess I didn't notice her because her hand was waving up and down in front of my face.

"When did you get in here?" She asked again.

"Oh, just a minute ago. You were not in here, so I decided to sit and wait for you." I saw her calm.

"Oh, ok." I nodded my head again, this time to her.

"So where is Isabella?" I asked fully knowing where my daughter was, but keeping up with my fib I asked.

"She fell asleep while I was holding her, so I decided to put her in her crib for a nap. I hope that's ok." She figited.

"Of course, Carter." I smiled.

"So, what'd your people say?" She asked me.

"My people?" I asked confused.

"Your people, you know, the ones you needed to ask permission to leave or something, you know what I mean." She finished off flustered. I let out a laugh.

"My board, yes. They were all very happy with the decision we made. They actually thought it was better." I said relaying the message back.

"Oh, good." Carter smiled.

"So, when do we leave?" She asked.

"We leave in two days."

"Ok." She said and it was silent once again.

_**C**_

It was silent for about ten minutes, a comfortable silence, if you ask me. I no longer have to worry about Rosie or Bella because I will be with them for the remainder of their time here and then they will be coming home with me. The comfortable silence continued for a few more minutes before it was interrupted by a rapping on the door. I was about to yell come in, out of reflex, but then remembered it was not my place. I saw Rosie get up and go to the door and answer it. I heard her talking to someone, I wasn't close enough to hear them, so I couldn't hear what they were talking about. But when Rosie came back without a mad expression on her face I guess it was ok.

"Carter, it is dinner time." She spoke to me. I hadn't even remember that since I got here, with all the hussle and bussle that had been going on. Right at the thought of food, my stomach let out a growl.

"Yum!" I said enthusiastically. Rosie laughed and I smiled back at her, sorta embarrassed at my stomach.

"Come on." I said as I linked our arms together. Then I took on the role of the gentlemen courter.

"May I escort you to dinner, Queen Rosalinda?" I ask formally. It felt weird calling Rosie Queen Rosalinda, but it was all for fun. She looked at me confused before she caught on.

"Yes, you may. But cop one feel and I will have guards throw you in the dungeon." She said with the utmost serious face and seconds later she bursted out laughing. I knew she was kidding but I gulped anyway. If only she knew that I did want to, she probably not want to stay with me.

_**R**_

Once we got to the informal dinner hall our arms untangled and Carter politely bowed toward me. I had to stop myself from laughing. I curtsied myself and then did the facade break and we broke into laughter. Goodness, did it feel good to actually laugh a real laugh again. I felt good to smile a real smile again, not just a fake one for press and my people.

"Thank you, kind sir." I said to Carter as we were seated. Benjimon, the chef, looked at us weirdly, which made it even funnier.

"You are welcome, My Queen." She said breathy, looking straight into my eyes. That sent a shiver down my spine. That has never happened before.

_**C**_

We had a nice dinner, it was quiet most of the time thought. Rosie was really quiet, I don't know why. When dinner was finished our plates were cleared by a guy, the same guy who served us, I think he's the chef. And then before we even got up a woman came in the room.

"My queen, may I help you prepare for bed?" She asked looking at Rosie. They really have people who do that, I thought Rosie was just kidding when she asked me to when she was staying with me and my dad. Rosie shook her head.

"No, thank you, Francine, that will not be necessary tonight." Francine nodded. Then she looked at me.

"Miss, would you like me to show you to your sleeping quarters?" I opened my mouth to speak, but Rosie spoke up before me.

"That also will not be necessary, Francine. Thank you." Francine looked from Rosie to me and back before she nodded and left. I looked at Rosie to elaborate but she just smiled before dragging me out of the dining room. I sighed as I was being dragged yet again, but let her drag me anyway.

When we go to where she wanted she opened the door and went in and I followed her. This was the same room we were in before. This must be her bedroom.

"Rosie you weren't kidding about having people to help you get ready for bed?" Was the first thing that came to my mind. She looked at me with an amused expression on her face.

"Of course not, Carter. Why, did you not believe me?" I shook my head.

"Francine helps my mom and I prepare for bed every night." She said serious. I nodded.

"Then why didn't you have her help you tonight?" I asked her curiously.

"Because I do not need her tonight, I have you." The last part came out softer that the beginning. She looked down. I didn't know what she meant by that. I wasn't going to ask and I sure as hell wasn't gonna let my horomones and little crush get in the way of helping my friend and protecting her and her daughter. I didn't know how to reply, so I sat on the edge of her bed. A couple of moments later she followed and sat beside me. We sat in complete silence, which we seemed to be doing a lot lately, but that was ok.

"Thank you, Carter." Rosie said just above a whisper. I looked over at her. She was staring at the ground.

"For offering your time and home to my daughter and I." Did she not get it? I wanted to have her stay with me. I wouldn't have it any other way. If she was to refuse when I offered I wasn't gonna let her. I would have begged her if I had to. I wanted to yell it at her. But I didn't because it wasn't proper and would probably make her mad or sad, neither of which I wanted.

"Rosie look at me." I said in the same tone as she did. She didn't, so I took my finger and slowly brought her chin up so she was looking at me.

"You do not have to thank me for doing something I was willing to do. I would rather have you and Bella with me than down locked up in some dusty old celler." I said letting her chin go, expecting her face to fall again. It didn't, she just smiled. Our eyes were connected for what seemed like forever until Bella made her presence known. Rosie was about to get up from the bed to handle her.

"Can I?" I asked and she sat back down on the bed and nodded her head. I smiled as I got up and made my way to Isabella's room. I went to her crib where she was screeching and wriggling around.

"Hey." I said looking down at her. She stopped crying and looked up at me when she heard my voice. Then in a snap of an instant later she started again. I picked her up and looked at her.

"What's wrong, little one?" I said as I started to walk around her room with her in my arms. She quieted down just a bit. I looked her all over. There didn't seem to have any nicks or bumps on her. I looked at her small hands. Her finger nails were cut to pristine, so she couldn't have scratched herself. Then as I put my hand on her bottom to lift her up to inspect her closer, I found the problem. My nose wrinkled a little. She needed her diaper changed. I set her on her changing table before going to get her a new change in clothes and a new diaper. I came back and saw she had quieted and was looking around, then her eyes fell on my. I started talking to her while I changed her.

"Yes, I know, I'm not your mom or your nanny, I'm Carter, as I told you before." I started to unbutton her onesy while she continued to watch me with curious eyes.

"You will be seeing a lot of me for a while now, you and your mommy will be staying with me." She continued to watch me. I finished up and left to go throw away her dirty diaper. When I came back I noticed she had fallen asleep again.

"Great, I am turning as boring as my dad." I said to myself picking her up, gently to not wake her. I contemplated whether or not to bring Isabella back in the bedroom with me. I decided not to and placed her back in her crib, giving her a kiss on her forehead.

When I walked back into Rosie's room I was shocked stiff. I was glad I didn't bring the baby back in because I would have probably dropped her in response to what I saw. Rosie was no longer in her flowy baby blue dress, now she was clad in only an off white corset with underwear and bra to match. I tried to swallow as best I could with my now dry mouth. I saw her her try to untie the back of her corset with no avail. 'So this is why she needs help.' I back away from the door slightly to make it less noticeable that I had been watching. And then re-entered.

"H-hey, Rosie." Damn, I stuttered. Breathe, Carter, breathe. She is just Rosie. Ya, Rosie, who had grown up and turned into a God damn beautiful women. I shook my head, my thoughts were not helping.

_**R**_

I jumped when I heard Carter's voice. Maybe I should have had Francine help me prepare for bed after all, but there was no sense of it now, it's to late. I am already out of my dress and Carter has already seen me. _Carter!_ I turn slightly to see Carter looking at me. A blush ran across my face. I ignore it as best I can and try again to untie my corset, but fail, once again. I let a frustrated breath, giving up.

"Do you want help?" I heard Carter ask. I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath.

"That would be wonderful." I spoke as I let it out. She would helping me prepare for bed, just like Francine does, but this would not be like Francine helping me. It is Carter.. I drew in a shaky breath, trying to calm the nerves that have started to come about ever since she had arrived here.

_**C**_

'Why did I offer to help?' I kept asking myself as I walked up to Rosie who was staring at me through the mirror. I tried to calm my racing thoughts as I got behind her.

"So, all I have to do is untie it?" I asked honestly not sure about how to go about undoing it. All she did was nod her head. I looked the corset up and down. It was held together with criss-crossy ribbon-like contraptions, knotted in three places. The corset started a couple of inches from her shoulders to just above her butt. My eyes widened at my thoughts. _'I just stared at Rosie's ass!' _There must be a law here about that here, stating directly not to stare at the queen's ass. Well, I don't think they'd say ass in Costa Luna's Constitution, or what ever they have here. But I bet-

"Carter?" I heard a voice knock me out of my thoughts. I look at the mirror to find her staring at me. I felt my face heat up just a bit.

"Hmm?" I asked taking my eyes off of her's. My eyes slowly went from her face to her front, scanning down her slowly. When they got to her legs, the only though was _Damn. _I shook my head again. This was so, so wrong! She was my _friend_, not only that she was a_queen_ and she was probably straight. No, she _was_ straight. But I still couldn't take my eyes off her legs. That is until she spoke.

"Are you done?" That tore my mind off of my thoughts and back to what I volunteered myself to do. I blinked a couple of times, bringing my eyes back to the contraption in front of me. I let out a nervous laugh.

"Um, I haven't started yet." Our eyes locked again.

"Carter, it is ok, I will just get Francine to help." She started to take a step.

"No!" She jumped a little at the volume of my voice. I didn't mean it to be that loud.

"What I mean is, you don't want to go out and have everyone see you like that, do you? I mean, isn't that an indecent act or something, the queen walking around the palace in her underwear?" I had now idea where I went with that statement, but she seemed to think about it and nod. So I guess I said something right in that jumble of words that just came out of my mouth.

"You are right, Carter. Continue." She went to the mirror and quirked a smile at me. I sighed, trying to figure out where to start. I decided on the top knot. I slowly brought my hands to the knot and started to tug on it, gently of course. To my surprise, it came undone. I let out a little sigh in relief. _Good, I'm not going to embarrass myself_. I went to the second one, which came out just as the first, easily. I smiled as the last one came undone as easy as the rest. I looked at Rosie, who looked back and smiled.

"Done." Rosie smiled as she left to go to the bathroom. I sighed in relief as she left, I could breathe again, without inhaling her scent. I went to her bed and flopped down on it. As soon as I hit her soft bed I spazzed out, trying to get that picture out of my mind that will probably be in there for the rest of my life. But I stopped as soon as I heard a familiar voice. I turned my head and saw Rosie clad in just her bra and underwear with a quirked eyebrow, peeking from the bathroom door.

"Carter, thank you." She said in her too sweet of voice. I smiled at her.

"You're welcome." I said as she went back in. I mushed my face into one of her pillows and growled. _Does she seriously not know was she does to me?_


	5. Chapter 5

_**C**_

We landed in Illinois about a half an hour ago and now we're on the road heading to my house. I'm driving my jeep, while Rosie's in the back with Isabella in her car seat.

_!Beep, Beep, Beep! _I felt around for the button on my dashboard and as push a small screen pops up. It's the director of PPP. I smile I haven't seen her since Rosie's coronation.

"Hello, Major Mason." I smile.

"Hello Ma'am."

"I am glad to see you took on this mission." She as a small smile appeared on her face.

"Well if you told me who it was in the beginning I wouldn't have protested so much." I said seriously.

"I couldn't take the chance of you refusing, us getting a new assessor and you changing your mind and showing up and messing the operation up. You do understand that, Major?" I nodded my head.

"And how is Princess Isabella?" She asked after a couple of moments. I smiled looking back for just an instant and saw a beautiful sight. Rosie was leaning on Isabella's car seat sleeping peacefully just as Isabella was. This made my smile widen.

"Content." I answered the director after a minute. She nodded, happy with the answer. She was quiet for a couple moments before she spoke again.

"And how is her mother, Queen Rosalinda?" She asked. I smiled wide.

"Why don't you take a look." I said still smiling as I stopped at a stop sign and moved the screen to face Rosie and Isabella sleeping in the back. After a couple of seconds I moved her back to face me. She had a smile on her face before she noticed me her face went back to an unreadable expression.

"They are safe than." It was more a statement than a question, but I still nodded my head.

"Alright, Major Mason, thank you again. I will check up on you in a couple days." I nodded my head again. Before the screen went off I heard the director turn and talk to one of her agents.

_"Princess 587 is safe." _I smiled at her trust in me. _Princess 587 is completely safe. _I repeated in my mind.

The two hour drive from the airport to my house was contently quiet. Rosie and Bella were sleeping in the back seat the whole ride. Every time I looked back at the sight, it put a smile on my face. I would do anything for those two. I parked my jeep in the driveway when I got to my house. I looked back to find Rosie and Isabella still sleeping. I found myself still smiling at the sight. _They're so adorable. _Rosie must be so tired, being a queen and a mother has got to take a toll on a girl, not to mention her having to deal with a asshole of a husband. The thought of what she had to deal with with him. How much did he do before this incident? The question made anger rise in my body. I took a couple of deep breaths calming myself. I didn't have to think of that now, Rosie's safe, _with me_. I would deal with that dick when and if it became necessary.

I got out of my jeep and went inside, checking my place out. I had only been away from it for a couple of days, but boy did I miss it. I looked around, nothing seemed out of place. I went to where I dreaded the most, my living room. I went in there and looked into Sparky's dish. To my surprise I found him doing his usual laps around the bowl, slower than usual, but he was still the happy fish I left. I guess that extra food I gave him helped him survive. I went to the cupboard to get him some food.

"Here you go, buddy." I said as I sprinkled some food into his dish. He swam and started eating as soon as it hit the water. I smiled, leaving him to eat as I went back out to the jeep.

I peaked in the backseat to find Rosie and Bella still sleeping. I quietly opened the back of my jeep and started to get our stuff out. I carried that in the house and set it in the living room before going back out.

I opened the back door on Rosie's side. She looked too adorable to wake up but she must have kinks in her neck from sleeping in a cramped jeep's back seat. I decided it'd be best to wake her up. I nudged her lightly in the arm. She didn't budge.

"Rosie." I whispered. I nudged her after. She still didn't wake up. I shook her just a bit, not enough to wake Bella though. Even after that she still wasn't awake. I sighed. Weren't princesses supposed to wake up at the drop of a pea, or was it they couldn't sleep without a pea under their pillow? I heard it once in a fairytale. Well I guess real life wasn't like that because Rosie wasn't budging. I sighed and decided to pick her up and carry her in the house. I put my left arm under her knees and my other went on the back of her shoulders as I lifted her out of the seat my left arm right at the bottom of her butt and her arms found their way around my neck and her face on my shoulder, her nose brushing my neck. I shivered as her breath hit my neck. I carried her passed the jeep and up the stairs of my porch and finally in to my bedroom. I laid her on my bed and she snuggled into my pillow. I smiled at the sight. I don't think I've smiled this much in years. I shook my head, I shouldn't get used to this. Rosie did say she didn't know how long she would be staying, it could end up being for just a couple of weeks. That broke my heart a little. I looked back at Rosie once more before I left the room. I went back to the jeep and as I got to the back seat I noticed Isabella was awake and curiously looking around my car.

"You sure are a curious one, arn't you?" I murmured out loud. She turned to me and her eyes lit up and a smile appeared on her face. That warmed my heart a little. I smiled at her.

"How ya doin'?" I said as I picked her up. I poked her in her stomach and she cooed. That made me laugh.

"Ya, well, I'll take that as a 'I'm doing very well' for now." I said joking in a funny voice. I set her on my carpeted living room floor and went to the kitchen to look for something for her to eat. I opened my fridge to find nothing but a couple of half-filled water bottles. There wasn't anything for even Rosie and I to eat. I went back to the living room to Bella wiggling around, looking everywhere.

"Hey, pal." I said sitting next to her. She stared at me.

"Well it looks like I have nothing for you to eat," She still looked at me with the same expression.

"But don't you dare bat an eyelash, we'll go get something." She still stared at me.

"We're going to raid my dad's house!" I said with a funny face which made her giggle. I laughed and picked her up. I went by my bed, checking in on Rosie who was still sleeping. I decided to let her sleep. I locked my door behind me.

"And we're off!" I said as I looked at Bella through my rear view mirror.

_**R**_

_"You will give me an heir to my thrown, Rosalinda!" Antonio said forcefully. I back away from him until I reached my limit, in a corner. A smile creeped on his face. I gulped. He ripped my towel off and picked me up by my neck._

_!Ring, Ring, Ring! _I woke up with a start. I was breathing hard. Where was that noise coming from? I looked around to find myself in a strange room. Then I found the noise, it was a telephone on a stand next to the bed. Wait whose bed was I in? I carefully and cautiously got out of the bed. I looked around the room to find that I was alone in it. I went out of the room to find myself now in a living area which lead me to the kitchen. I looked out the window to see a mailbox with the name _MASON. _Now I remember I am at Carter's house. She took Isabella and I in her house. I smiled remembering how generous of an offer that was of Carter. But, wait, where were Carter and Isabella? Oh no, it can not be. What if Antonio got to them and is now holding them hostage? I tried to calm my nerves by telling myself Carter is strong and could handle herself as well as protect Isabella, but tears fell down my face at the thought of losing either of them.

_**C**_

It took Isabella and I about ten minutes to get to my dad's house. I parked in my normal parking spot and got Bella out of her car seat and went up the so familiar steps that I walked for eighteen years of my life. The house was quiet, not that I didn't expect it to be, my dad was on a mission and nobody else lived here, he hasn't had a girlfriend since my senior year in high school. I headed to the kitchen to see what he had in stock. I smiled in delight when I saw he had a full kitchen.

"Yay, free food!" I said to Bella as I shook her little fisted hand. She giggled.

I went into his closet to grab a spare shopping bag to put the food in. I opened his cupboard and pulled out some spaghetti and spaghetti sauce and went to the freezer and pulled out some meatballs, spaghetti sounded good for supper. Now what to get for Bella. I looked around and found some potatoes and canned veggies, cool homemade baby food. I put the food in the bag and tied it up, setting it on the table.

"Now time to get you a sleeping place for tonight." I said to Bella who really didn't pay attention, just kept looking around. I think my dad still has some of my stuff in the attic so I decided to go and look up in there, it couldn't hurt.

When I got up to the attic I went to search for boxes that said 'Carter's Stuff' in my scrawly handwriting. One day he made me pack all of my baby clothes, toys and accessories in boxes and store them in the attic.

"Ah ha!" I said as I the box I was looking for. I set Bella down and opened the box. Exactly what I was looking for. I started to rummage through the my old clothes from ages 0-3. Most of them looked too big for Bella then I found an outfit that would fit Bella, the only one in fact. It was purple and blue pj set. It would do until tomorrow when I took Rosie shopping for furniture and clothes.

"Look what I found, Bella." I said as I turned around. I looked in the spot where I had put her. She wasn't there.

"Isabella?" I turned in a 360 degree angle, she was no where to be found. Oh, God, where is she? I left without tell Rosie and now I lost her daughter. No, don't Carter, you didn't lose her, you closed the door so she couldn't have gotten out. I checked. Yep, still closed. She has to be in here. I started frantically looking around, then I found her. She was crawling around some boxes stacked high. Not a good place for a baby to be. I scooped her up.

"What are you doin', Bell?" I asked. She didn't turn to look at me instead she fussed and reached her arms out in the direction she was previously trying to crawl to. I laughed.

"Oh, no, I'm not letting you go, besides I found what we came here for anyway." She still fussed and when I didn't let her go she let out a loud wale. That jumped me. Why was she so upset? I sighed deciding to take her where she wanted to go. I walked in where she crawled. I looked around to see if there was anything she could want around here. My eyes widened in surprise when I found my bear that I thought I lost eleven years ago.

"Buddy!" I picked him up. He was still how I remembered him, with a honey-colored fuzzy coat and black button eyes. Then I felt Bella try to reach out to the old stuffed animal. I smiled.

"Oh, this is what you wanted." I said as I gave her the bear. She instantly wrapped her small arms around him and cuddled him and laid her head on my chest. I smiled down at her before going and getting the pj outfit and heading downstairs to the main house. I grabbed the bag of food, locked the door and went to my jeep. I put the things in my back and headed to where Bella's car seat was. I looked down at her, she had fallen asleep. I gently put her in her seat and buckled her in. I checked on her in my mirror one last time before I headed back to my house.

When I got back to the house it was about five o'clock, I was gone for about forty-five minutes. Bella was still sleeping in her car seat so I decided to take the things in first and then come back to get her. I opened my door and set the outfit on the couch and the groceries on the kitchen cabinet. Then, I went to go check on Rosie.

_**R**_

Thoughts were racing in my mind, they had been for the past thirty minutes since I had woken up. They stopped when I heard a car door close and Carter's door opened. I sat perfectly still. I was hoping it was Carter, but I did not know who it was, it would be Antonio coming after me now. I was terrified beyond belief. Then I heard the door open to the room I was in. I was scared to look at who it was, but then seeing the familiar raven-haired woman I smiled. Tears started to run down my face. She was safe after all of my worrying I had done for absolutely nothing. I hurried to her and wrapped my arms around her neck. She seemed to be taken aback at first but then returned my hug. I couldn't stop from crying, even though I was not sad.

"Rosie, what's wrong." I heard Carter ask after a few moments. I smiled, my tears slowing.

"Nothing, now that you're here." She looked at me with the same expression.

"Why are you crying, Rosie?" We got out of our embrace and sat down on her bed.

"I was worried that you and Isabella had gotten taken by Antonio." I said as tears started again at the thought. I saw Carter's face turn to that of worry.

"I'm so sorry, Rosie. I took Bella without asking you. You were sleeping and I didn't want to wake you up. You have a right to be mad-" I put a hand up, silencing her. She stopped talking, but didn't look me in my eyes.

"Carter, can you look at me, please?" Her head slowly looked up.

"I am not mad at you, Carter." I said as she scoffed.

"Why not, any other person would be." She looked like I must have when she first came here, on the verge of tears. "I took your daughter, Rosie, I am-" I brought her into a tight hug. When we came out of it I held on to her shoulders, keeping her from moving.

"I am not mad, Carter. I just over-reacted when I saw neither you or Isabella here." I smiled and pulled her into a hug again. This time she broke it.

"I'm sorry, Rosie." I opened my mouth to retort but she shushed me with a finger to my lips.

"Whatever you were gonna say doesn't change the fact that I'm sorry I caused you to worry. I will ask you from now on before I take Bella with me, even if you are sleeping so cutely." I nodded in agreement. I took a deep breath and let it out, along with all the worry that I have had in the past hour or so.

"Come on." Carter said as she motioned for me to follow her. We went out to her car.

"You get Bella while I get the stuff in the back." I went to the other side of the jeep. A smile made it to my face when I saw my baby sleeping so soundly. I got her out of the seat and was about to shut the door when a yellow fell out of her hands and onto the ground. I looked down at it and picked it up. It was a stuffed bear. I went inside and saw Carter unbagging some food and putting them in different cupboards. I went to the living room and put Isabella on the blanket that was already set on the floor. I checked back to make sure she was alright before I left.

"Carter, what is this?" I asked as I held up the stuffed toy. She crumpled a plastic bag and put it in a wooden crate before turning around.

"Hmm?" She looked. "Oh, that's just my old bear, Buddy." I looked at her funny.

"It was my teddy bear that I slept with until I lost it when I was eight." She said as she grabbed another bag and started take thing out of it and putting them away.

"Then why-" I stopped as I saw Carter reach up and place a can in the highest cupboard. She wasn't that tall so she had to stretch on her toes, which as she did revealed a tan strip of skin just above her pants. My heart sped up. Still in that position, Carter spoke.

"What?" She asked stretching up further. I swallowed and shook my head. What was wrong with me?

"Then how did Isabella get it?" I asked still staring at her exposed skin. She came back down fully on her feet and turned around.

"Oh, we went to my dad's so I could get her some pjs for tonight and she found him." She went to her dad's house just to get Isabella pajamas, _how sweet_.

"You did not have to do that, Carter, but thank you." I said sending her a smile. Her face tinged a rose color.

"Well I got us some food from there also." She said taking down a bag, a small box and a can from that same cupboard. I turned my head away to keep from staring. What was wrong with me? I asked myself again. I had never found Carter this attractive, well not really.

_**Flashback**_

_I walked to the back of the school to find Carter and see why she was not there when they crown the princess of Homecoming to queen. When I got there I found Carter, but I saw who I least wanted to find at this moment, General Cane. I was shocked, how did he get here? I heard him talk to Carter._

_"Ah, Caribbean blue." He said as he inched toward Carter. She still stood still with her mask on her face._

_"Nice to see you, Princess Rosalinda." Wait, she wasn't Rosalinda, I am! Next, I saw him grab on her and take her toward the helicopter._

_"Come with me, Princesa." He said as he took her. Why was he taking her? She wasn't me. And why was she going with him, why wasn't she identifying herself? I couldn't let her do this, put herself in danger for myself and my country. That was my responsibility, not hers._

_"General Cane!" I yelled. They both turned around. General Cane had a smirk on his face, while Carter had a look of disappointment and sadness._

_"Princesa." General Cane said as he came closer to me. I started to cry, for two reasons. Carter had started also and I was about to leave and never come back. I still hadn't got the chance to ask Carter what the pull I feel toward her was normal and if she returned it._

_"Why?" Carter said barely above a whisper when they finally reached me. I looked at her, trying to put a smile on my face, for presentation, but tears still flowed._

_"This is not your fight, Carter." I said. She slightly shook her head._

_"But it was working." She said again in a whisper. I just looked at her._

_"The young Princesa is right, it is not your fight nor responsibility." General Cane said as he tugged me toward the same helicopter. I looked back at Carter mouthing sorry. I expected the worst when he yanked the helicopter door open, but it wasn't. Major Mason and the general of PPP was in there. I heard words exchanged from them to General Cane. Then General Cane took off with Major Mason right after him. I turned around to see Carter share the same expression as me. When we locked eyes we took off after each other and enveloped each other in a tight hug. I was relieved, I thought I'd ever see her again. We pulled a little ways apart. I looked at Carter who had stopped crying and had a smile lighting up her face._

_"I thought I'd lost you." Quietly. I nodded._

_"Me too." I said as I tried to stop crying. Carter reached her hand up and ran her thumb under my eye, wiping my tears. I smiled. I found my eyes drift down to her lips. I stared at them. I wanted nothing more than to kiss her right now. I inched my face a little closer to her. I could feel her breath mix with mine. I followed the magical pull I had toward her, right until we were so close I swear I could feel her soft, plump lips slightly rub against mine._

_"Princesa Rosalinda!" I heard a man yell. Carter and I jumped away from each other so fast. I turned toward the direction where the voice was coming from. It was from one of our service men coming toward Carter and I._

_"We have to leave." He said as he made it to us. I looked from him to Carter._

_"Now!" He said urgently. I reluctantly went with him. Every so often look ing back to Carter who was watching me. The man got in the helicopter and then reached a hand out to help me up. I got in the helicopter and buckled. I looked out the open door to still find Carter in the same spot. She had a small smile on her face as she raised her arm and waved good-bye. I waved back even as the door closed and we raised in the air. I looked out the window saw Carter waving. I kept a smile on my face and watched as Carter got smaller and smaller, until she was no longer in my vision. Then I let the tears fall. I cried like no other time I had cried. This time I would not be made better with salve or a band-aid, new dress, or time by myself. No, this was a much deeper hurt._

"Rosie?" My eyes widened at the close proximity that Carter was in now.

"Yes?" Carter laughed, probably at my proper English answer.

"Where have you been?" She asked. She probably noticed I had spaced out, was I out that long?

"I have been right here. I have not left." I said not blinking an eye. I didn't want her to pester me right now about where I had been, so I gave a kind of naive answer. She shook her head with a smile still on her lips. That face, _those lips_.

"Ok, Rosie." I nodded.

"So, you said something about having brought food back from your dad's house. What kind?" I asked. I was quite hungry, I had not eaten since we had we had breakfast in Costa Luna.

_**C**_

I laughed when Rosie asked what was for dinner. She sure knows how to blow over a situation that she doesn't want to talk about. That's alright, though I might ask her later.

"Spaghetti." I said as I reached for a pan to fry the hamburg in and a pot to boil the noodles. When I got that all set I went and got Bella's food and put in it a small dish. She was having mashed potatoes with carrots and peas. Shit, I don't know if she even eats solid foods yet. Rosie was looking at me funny, she must think she lives with a mad women. I have Bella's food in one hand and turning in half circles trying to find the one baby spoon I still have.

"Does Bella eat solid food yet, Rosie?" I asked as I found it, I turned to look at her.

"We have tried her with apple sauce back at the palace, She did not like it too well." She said. My face fell. I knew it!

"Ok, well I'll be back, I didn't even think to ask before getting the food." I said as she laughed.

"Carter, calm down. Just because she did not like the apple sauce does not mean she would like the vegetables." She said as she got up and went to get her daughter, who was now wide awake.

"Let me see it." She said as she sat down with Bella on her lap. I handed it to her and she dipped the spoon in it, getting some of the food on the spoon, and blew on it, cooling it off. Her lips pushing together and fluttering just a bit as she carefully blew on the food. I closed my eyes. _Get your hormones together, Carter, she's feeding her _baby_! _I opened them again to see her putting the spoon in Bella's mouth and her swallowing the food. I smiled. She looked at me with a smile on her face and then she dipped the spoon in again. Bella gladly took the second bite.

"She likes it." I said happily.

"Yes, she likes it a lot." Rosie said giving Isabella another spoonful.

"How'd you know, Carter, what age babies start eating solid foods. Do you have kids of your own?" She asked looking at me.

"Ya, like that could ever happen." I said kinda jokingly. It was true, I couldn't get pregnant. I was gay. I sure as hell wasn't going to do the artificial insemination, not that I have anything against that, it's just not for me. I always planned to adopt kids when I found the person I was to spend the rest of my life with. Rosie just looked at me to explain. Oh, right, she didn't know I was gay. _And she's not gonna find out. _I reminded myself. I coughed out my laugh.

"I mean, no, I don't have any kids of my own. The only reason I know is because I babysat for a job before I went into the SS." I went to the stove, checking on the hamburg and spaghetti noodles.

"Done." I said as I drained the noodles in the sink. I went to the cabinet beside the sink and grabbed a big bowl to toss the spaghetti together. When I was done with that I put some on two plates and grabbed silverware as I went back to the table and set one plate in front of Rosie and one in front of the seat next to her, for me to sit. I looked back at Rosie who was feeding Bella the last of the mashed potatoes.

"What do you want to drink?" I asked opening my fridge showing her the choices, which wasn't much but water.

"I'll just have water." She said as I heard her get up. I turned to find her returning Bella to the blanket and set Buddy next to her. Buddy now has a new friend. I smiled to myself as I grabbed two waters and headed back to the table. I gave Rosie the water as she sat back down.

"Sorry it isn't as fancy as at your place." I said kind of embarrassed at my choice for dinner.

"Does it taste good?" She asked randomly. I nodded my head.

"My family carries the best recipe for spaghetti." I said as she smiled.

"Then it is perfect." She said as she grabbed a big bite with her fork. As she slurped it up some of the sauce ended up on her upper lip. I laughed as she looked at me.

"You know that's not very queen-like." I said joking.

"Oh, give me a break." She said smiling. "I am starving." I just laughed it off.

"What is it now, Carter." She asked looking at me again.

"You have a little," I motioned to my upper lip. She looked confused. I just grabbed a napkin off the table. I leaned a little closer to her and gently wiped her lip. I drew the napkin down to the table, still leaning closely to her. Her eyes didn't leave mine. Then I found my eye on her lips. _What are you doing?_ My mind jumped my out of my stance. I cleared my throat.

"You had a little sauce on you lip." I said playing with my food.

"Thank you for getting it, Carter." Rosie said after a moment. I nodded and the rest of dinner was eaten in silence. When we were done I got up and took the dishes off the table and put them in the sink, getting ready to wash them. Rosie went to the living room to check on Bella. She came back in seconds later.

"Carter, do you happen to have diapers in here?"

"Ya, cabinet in the bathroom, second shelf." She left. I finished the dishes and put them on the rack to air dry. I wiped down the tabled and put the left over spaghetti in the fridge. I then went into my room to look for the bassinet I had. I found it in my closet and put it together in five minutes flat.

"There." I said as I carried it out to the living room to show Rosie. I found her on the couch holding Bella, singing to her in her native tongue that I had so many feelings for. This one made me feel so soothed. She looked up at me when I put the bassinet down, quietly so I wouldn't wake Bella.

"What's that?" She asked.

"It's a temporary bed for Bella to sleeping in tonight." I said.

"If that's ok with you" I said rubbing the back of my neck.

"Of course, Carter. That is so nice of you." She said gently laying Bella in it.

"This is all very nice of you." She said motioning all around with her arm.

"You know I-" I said before she interrupted me.

"Yes, Carter, I know, you wanted to do it. I am just saying it was nice of you." After a couple of moments of silence and just the slow content breathing of Bella in her bassinet, I decided to speak up.

"Rosie, I gotta talk to you about something." I decided it would be better if I just got it out in the open.


	6. Chapter 6

Rosie, I gotta talk to you about something." I said looking her straight in the eyes.

"What is it, Carter?" She turned her body to face mine. I sighed and started.

"You do know I only have one bed, right?" I asked getting it out in the open.

"Yes, Carter?" She said. I don't think she was getting it.

"You don't mind sleeping in the same bed as me?" Rosie just smiled.

"No, Carter, I do not mind. Actually I am quite comfortable sleeping in the same bed as you. You make me feel safe."

"Oh, " I said, surprised. "Because I just was going to say I would sleep on the couch tonight, if that would have made you more comfortable until tomorrow when we go shopping for Isabella's nursery." I said in a rushed breath.

"Shopping for the nursery?" She questioned.

"Ya, I'm gonna turn my extra room into a nursery for Isabella while you guys are here." I said as I looked at the sleeping baby who I have already grown attached to.

"You do not need to do that, she is quite content in the bassinet, just look." Rosie gestured toward the baby. I looked again.

"Ya, ok. But we still need to go shopping, for the things I don't have." I said. She nodded. I was going to buy Isabella a nursery if she knew it now or not.

"Since the room isn't set for a baby right now, do you want Isabella to sleep in my room with us?" I asked Rosie. She nodded, trying to hide a yawn, but failing. That made my lips twitch into a little smile.

"Tired?"

"Yes, very." She said looking at me. I nodded and got up, waiting for her to do the same. When she did I told her to follow me to my room.

"Since you don't have your pajamas unpacked you can wear mine tonight." I said as I rummaged through my closet.

"Something pink and silk, I hope." She asked and I heard a slight joking tone to her voice.

"Ya," I let out a laugh. "Here you go, make do." I said as I handed her some loose fitting pj pants and a over-sized shirt and left so she could change. I went to see Bella, who was still sleeping soundly in the bassinet. I was a couple minutes before Rosie came out into the living room. My clothes were a little big on her. The pants hung down a little and the shirt went a little lower on her shoulders than it did mine.

"Ready for bed?" I asked. She nodded.

"How are we going to get Isabella in the room with the bassinet?" She asked.

"Don't worry about it." I said as I picked up the bassinet with Isabella in it and walked to my room and set it down at the end of my bed. Rosie followed me.

"Get in, I'll be in in a minute." I grabbed the pjs from my dresser and went to change in the bathroom. I washed my face and brushed my teeth, my normal night routine when I was at home. When I got back to my room I checked on Isabella in her bassinet. Then, I looked on the bed and saw Rosie in bed and under the comforters, facing the middle with her eyes closed. _Man, I would do anything to have this every night. _Stop it, Carter! I said reminding myself that this was only temporary. I sighed as I got in my bed and snuggled closer in under the covers. I wanted to much to get closer to the warm body next to mine, hold her, but I didn't I just stayed on my side.

I looked up to the ceiling for what seemed like the one-hundredth time. Seriously, why couldn't I sleep? I have slept in my bed and went right to sleep before. But I was alone then. Now I have this beautiful, peaceful, radiant women, _queen_, here and all I'm doing all I can not to hold her and cuddle with her. I looked over a Rosie who looked peacefully asleep and then suddenly her eyes were open.

"Did I wake you up?" I asked in a whispered voice. She shook her head.

"I never fell asleep." Her mocha eyes seemed to bore into my darker ones.

"Oh." She had fooled me.

"What is wrong, Carter. Why are you not sleeping?" She asked looking at me to answer. I sighed, I couldn't tell her the real version of why I was suddenly an insomniac, _because there's a woman, a_ beautiful_ woman. Whose warmth is attracting me like bugs to a lamp,_ but I could tell her a little stretch of the truth.

"I'm just thinking, Rosie, that's all." Which was true I had been thinking all this time, my brain wouldn't turn off.

"About what?" She looked up at me, scooting up higher on the bed to face me.

"A lot. Just about things and how things seem to resurface at the worst times." Her face dropped a bit.

"I am sorry." She said looking down and not facing me. Did she think I thought it was her fault?

"It's not your fault, Rosie, and like I told you before I wouldn't have it any other way than you and Isabella staying with me." She smiled facing me again.

"Want me to cuddle with you while you fall asleep?" She asked so sweetly. It's what I had been to scared to ask her. I smiled.

"That would be great, thanks, Rosie." She shifted closer to me and I wrapped my arms around and her head on my shoulder by the crook of my neck. _Yes, this is what I wanted. _Only a couple minutes after that did I finally fall asleep, happy.

_**R**_

I awoke to voice around me. I slowly opened my eyes and saw the voice was Carter and she was talking to Isabella, who was sitting in her lap. Carter was playing with the bear toy and Isabella seemed to be having fun, she was laughing happily. Carter put the bear up to her face, wiggling it and Isabella grabbed onto it, then Carter would make a rawr sound and back the bear away. Isabella let out a loud happy screech followed by laughter.

"Shhh." Carter said with a smile on her face. "You don't wanna wake your mommy up." Then she looked over to me.

"Oh, you're awake." I stretched a bit and then sat up on the bed.

"About time." I looked over at Carter, shocked, just to find her break out laughing. I gave her a glare. She reached the bear to Isabella and pulled it back again with her laughing.

"See, Bella thought it was funny too." My glare softened, it made me happy that Carter got along with my daughter so well. I looked away from them and looked at the clock on Carter's nightstand. It said 10:00AM, it was only 6:00AM in Costa Luna.

"It is only 6:00 in Costa Luna." I retorted slightly sticking my tongue out of the side of my mouth.

"That is very un-queen like, _Queen_ Rosalinda." She said covering Isabella's eyes. "You don't want your daughter to pick up that awful Carter Mason habit that you have." She said obviously joking. She removed her hands from Isabella's eyes and gave her the bear.

"Actually I do not wish Isabella to be at all like me." I said getting up from the bed. This must have caught her attention because she followed me out of the room. She set Isabella on the blanket that was still laid out on the living room floor.

"Do have any Cocoa Puffs?" I asked. I had grown to like them when I lived with her and her dad. She laughed and pointed at a cabinet and sat at the table. I grabbed a bowl and cocoa puffs added milk and sat at the table next to her.

"Who do you want Isabella to turn out like? I mean what mother doesn't want their _daughter_ of all kids to end up like them?" She asked not dropping what we were previously talking about. I took a bite of the chocolatey concoction and swallowed before answering.

"I want Isabella to turn out to be like you actually, Carter." She looked surprised at my statement and then a faint shade of pink appeared on her face.

"Is Carter Mason blushing?" I asked, joking with her.

"Pft, _no_!" She said as her face went a shade darker. I smiled knowing that she was and satisfied that I had made her do so. I took a victory bite of my cereal. After a while Carter spoke.

"Why do you want her to be like me? I was nobody but Bait Girl in high school." She said looking down slightly.

"That is not true, Carter. You were unique, you didn't follow the crowd. You had confidence, strive and a beautiful personality, once you broke down the walls you kept up." I looked at her, she was looking at me so I continued.

"You would do what you wanted and nobody could tell you different. And look what you have grown into. You're a successful agent and you are quite beautiful." I said still looking her eyes. We stayed like this for a couple of moments, staring at each other.

"You think I'm beautiful?" Carter asked in a small, some what shy voice.

"I do." I said. _I do, so much so. _I wanted to say. I wanted to tell her about those feelings I had harbored back then, the feelings that were slowly coming back. But I could not, she would not respond positively to them, I am sure.

After a while, I got up and put my dish in the sink and walked in the living room to see Isabella sleeping. I let of a soft laugh. It was hard enough for me to get used to this time change, my poor baby must be having a hard time with it.

"Go get ready." I heard Carter say from behind me.

"Get ready? Where are we going?"

"Shopping, silly, I told you that last night." That is right, she did.

"Carter, I am not letting you spend your money on Isabella." I said sternly.

"I'm not gonna buy much just..._necessities_." She said walking past me to her bedroom. I sighed, going to the spare room and getting some of my clothes out and headed to the bathroom. I opened the door and closed it, setting my clothes and a towel on the washing machiene, turning on the shower and going in. As I started to wash my body, I stopped at every bruise and scratch, looking at them as bad memories started clouding my mind.

_**Flashback**_

_"Congratulations, My king and queen, it is a girl." The nurse said. She smiled at us and I was more than over joyed. I was having a baby girl. A beautiful, healthy baby girl. My joy was short lived as the nurse left to go get our papers Antonio's smile left his face._

_"You will not have this child, Rosalinda." He stated firmly and calmly. I was shocked._

_"What?" I choked out. His eyes fell upon mine angrily._

_"You will not have this child." He said anger now dripping into his words. "A prince, that is what I want, a prince, to run my throne when I am no longer capable. So, you will not carry this baby no longer." He got up from his seat._

_"You have no say if I carry this baby or not, she is part of my body and soul, growing inside of me." I said in a brave moment of courage. _

_"I am the father of this child, your husband, and the king of Las Costas, so I God damn do have a right to say whether or not you keep my child or not!" His voice rose with every word until he was practically yelling. I heard a faint knock on the door and then the nurse appeared. Antonio's mood changed yet again to the quiet, polite king that he lets everyone perceive him as._

_"Here she is." The nurse came up to me, handing me the black and white photo of my daughter. She handed a set to Antonio, who just smiled politely and took them. I looked at the still of my baby, she looked to innocent and fragile, I was attached to her the moment I saw her, he was not going to take her away from me. The nurse left and Antonio's persona changed yet again. He ripped up the photos and started walking out._

_"You tell the board tonight that you want to terminate this pregnancy." He stated before he left. Fresh tears fell from my face as I looked at my daughter that I already loved and my husband, her father, wanted killed._

_When I got back to my room I put sonograms safely in a draw and sat on my bed thinking of what I was going to do. I am not going to kill my baby. I kept repeating in my head. I heard my bedroom door open and slam shut, Antonio._

_"You did not tell the board." It was more a statement than a question. I did nothing._

_"I told you to tell the board you were terminating this pregnancy." I said again._

_"I do not want to terminate this pregnancy." I said in a small voice._

_"You will." He said his temper flaring up again._

_"I will not." I said standing up. He smiled._

_"Fine, if you will not tell the board, I will handle getting red of this pregnancy on my on." He said coming toawrd me. I backed away until I hit the bed post. When he reached me he took his hand and covered my mouth and then with his other he hit me in the stomach repeatedly. When he was satisfied, he stopped and looked at me._

_"You just had to do this the hard way, Rosalinda." He left the room after that and I slid to the floor, crying from the pain and wishing, hoping, praying that my baby would be alive._

My tears were mixing with the flowing water from the shower and I was brought out of my memory. I smiled at the thought that Isabella had survived but I couldn't stop the tears from cascading.

"Rosie!" I heard Carter yell from the outside the door. I wanted to yell to her but I couldn't.

"Are you ok?" Carter's voice came again. I still did not answer, I just slid down the shower stall into a sitting position.

"I'm coming in." Carter stated before I heard the door open and close again.

"Rosie?" I heard from the other side of the curtain now. I stayed quiet, but involuntarily sniffed and took in a shuddered breath.

"What's the matter?" I was surprised at how well she could tell something was the matter without having to see me.

"I am fine, Carter." I said hoping to make her go away.

"Bull." Came out her mouth. What? I immediately thought to ask. "You are not alright, I don't believe you. Finish up and get dressed and meet me in the bedroom." Then she left.

_**C**_

When I got out of the bathroom I took a deep breath and headed toward my room. I checked on Isabella on the way there. She was on the blanket nibbling happily on Buddy's ear.

I sat on my bed when I got in my room. I was wondering what or how I was going to start this conversation with what made Rosie so upset. I mean, what if she doesn't want to tell me or refuses to tell me? That would make me upset, but I don't have to know. I know she is safe with me now. But, I want her to be happy, to not these memories of who knows what. My head shot up when I heard my door open. Rosie was wearing a simple light-yellow sundress with a blue half sweater, she looked breathtaking. Her curly hair was now in waves because it was wet. She silently came and sat beside me. We were quiet for a while.

"Why were you crying? You know you don't have to hide it from me. I would much rather have you come to me, if you want." I said as she looked up, still not talking.

"I just don't want you to feel alone, Rosie, because you're not. You have me, for _anything_." I said. It was the truest thing I have said in my life. I would do anything from the girl across from me.

"I did not mean to cry. My mind was rolling bad memories." She looked down again.

"Do you mind telling me. You don't have to if you don't want to. But it helps to talk about things, believe me." She took a breath and looked back up at me.

"Antonio did not want Isabella. When he found out that I was carrying a girl he insisted I have the pregnancy terminated. When I didn't do as he asked, he tried to do it himself." I was shocked. What kind of monster would try to hurt his wife, let alone kill his own baby? If I ever meet this guy he is as good as dead. There will be no stopping me, I will kill him. I took Rosie in my arms and hugged her for what seem like forever before she pulled away. She had a small smile on her lips.

"You were right, Carter, I do feel a little better." She brought me into an intimate side hug. I smiled as we pulled away. Looking into her eyes, eyes that had held a mysterious tint to them, that still do, but also a sadness deep in them. I wanted to know everything, but I didn't want to overstep my boundaries.

"You're welcome. You can come to me anytime, you know that, right?" She nodded getting up and heading toward the door.

"Where are you going?"

"I thought you said we were going shopping?" She asked turning around. _Right._

"We are." I said heading out the bedroom door with her following.

* * *

When we got to the shopping center I grabbed a cart and told Rosie to put Bella in the front. Then I started going toward the first isle on my mental check list. _Baby Clothes._ We got to the isle and was met with racks with baby clothes of different designs and colors. The clothes were marked by age in months.

"How old is Isabella?" I asked Rosie who looked perplexed by this question.

"One year and four months, why?" _16 months. _I mentally added in my head.

"The baby clothes, they're sorted my age." I explained as I took them over to the sixteen month rack. Rosie started to look at the clothes.

"I know they might not be up to royal-" I was interrupted by Rosie pulling out an outfit.

"I like this one." She stated as she showed it to me. It was a pink and yellow summer-y shirt and a denim skort with it.

"Ok." I said as I put it in the cart and helped her look for more outfits.

When we left the clothes isle Isabella had thirteen new outfits and a spring jacket. The next isle on my checklist was toys. Rosie gave me a look.

"I thought you said we were only shopping for necessities?" She asked as we entered the isle.

"We are. Toys are by far the most important." I said as I looked around, grabbing a few colorful, fun looking ones. One big thing caught my eye.

"Aw, I used to love this when I was a kid." I stated taking the package down from the shelf. Rosie looked at me.

"It's a three-in-one toy." I said as I showed her the pictures on the side of the box.

"First it's a ride along pusher, then it's a walker for when they try to walk and then it's a trike." I said putting the big box in the cart along with the clothes. Rosie put her arms across her chest and looked at me again.

"Isabella does not need that, Carter." She said nicely.

"So?" I asked.

"So, why is it in the cart?" Asking as she looked at me skeptically.

"Because I want it for myself." I said thinking on my feet. Rosie raised an eyebrow.

"You want it?" She asked obviously not believing me. I nodded.

"Yes, I said I loved it when I was a baby, so I want to relive my childhood." I said, again thinking on my feet. _This is not working out for me._

"Ok, Carter." She said as she turned around and started to walk. I quickly caught up to her and pushed the cart behind her.

"Perr-rr" I looked at Bella who leaning over her seat. Rosie also stopped and looked at her baby.

"Per-rr-oo" Bella tried again. I was confused.

"Do you want a pear?" I asked as I looked down at Bella. I turned to look at Rosie who was looking at her baby with a big smile on her face.

"She said her first." Rosie said smiling at Bella and then looking to me. I was surprised.

"Pear-o?" I asked. Bella must have heard because she repeated what she first said, but with more force, trying to get out of her seat. I gently pushed her back to a safe position. Rosie laughed.

"Perro." She emphasized the word. I still didn't get it.

"It means dog in Spanish." She explain. Now I got it. I looked over to where Bella was reaching for and saw a fuzzy slinky dog. I grabbed and gave it to Bella.

"Good job, Pal." I said as I smiled at her. I looked at Rosie.

After Bella got what she asked for Rosie made us leave the toy isle, mumbling something along the lines of me not being able to keep my promise if we were stayed in there any longer. I lead here to the next isle. _Diapers and Accessories._ This isle was easy, all I got from it was diapers along with spoons, sippy cups and bowls.

"To the next isle!" I said happily. But, truthfully this was the one I was most nervous about. _Cribs, Strollers and bedding._

When we entered the isle I saw Rosie's demeanor change.

"What about necessities?" She asked as she saw what was in this isle.

"We need a crib, stroller and the bedding goes in the crib." I said as I started to look at them.

"You have the bassinet." She said denying me what I wanted to do again.

"So that's old and rickety." I said, which wasn't all true, but she didn't need to know that.

"It worked fine last night."

"Ya, that was last night." I said. "How about this one?" I asked pointing to a light colored wooden one.

"It is pretty." She said after a while.

"See, you like it!" I said pointing at her.

"That does not mean I will let you buy it."

"Why not?" I asked sort of whining. Why did she have to be so difficult?

"Because you do no need to spend money on my daughter when we do not know when we are leaving." She said sadly.

"But I want to." I said softly. "Will you let me, please." I never thought I'd be begging to let someone let me buy them something. Rosie's face was unexpressive for a moment before she slowly nodded her head.

"Ok, but can we get that one?" She pointed to a crib beside the one I suggested. It was almost identical to it but it was a little darker.

"Of course." I answered happily as I grabbed it and put it in the cart with all the other things we had bought.

When we finished in the cribs isle I had one more left on my list. _Home Repairs. _We walked past the registers because the home repair isle was on the other side of the store.

"I thought we were done?" Rosie asked as we passed.

"No, we have one more to go to." I answered as we walked the rest of the way in silence. Now Rosie had a confused look on her face when we entered this section of the store.

"What could Isabella need that is in home repair?" She asked. I didn't answer her I just turned into the isle I was looking for. She followed

"What color do you want her room?" I asked Rosie.

"What room?" Rosie asked.

"My storage room. I'm gonna change that into Bella's while you guys are here." She sighed.

"Carter-" I stopped her.

"I made my mind up. I want to do this. Pick a color." I finished happily. She sighed again, but picked one. The color was a soft dark-pink.

"Ok, now we're done." I said as we went back toward the registers.

"Finally." Rosie let out.

"Oh, you enjoyed it." I said as we got in line at the registers. I smiled and looked down at Bella. She was still holind on to her dog.

"I know Bella did, she got her per-r-ro." I said trying to pronounce it like Rosie had.

"_Pe__**rr**__o."_ She said again. I watched her mouth. Her tongue rolled when she pronounced the r's. I shook my head out of my own thoughts.

"I can't do that!" I exclaimed a little too loud. The older lady looked back at me and shot me a slight glare before turning her head back around. Rosie giggled.

"Well, maybe, someday I will show you." She said with a little bit of seductive tone. Wait, was I imagining it?

"Next." The cashier called. I pushed the cart and put the things on the register and went up the the end bringing the cart over so the bagger could bag the items. I looked at the register worker. It was Helen.

"Hey, Helen." I said. She looked over and a smiled appeared on her face.

"Hey, Kid. How ya doin'?" She asked.

"I'm good."

"Why are you buying baby stuff?" Oh, that's right, she didn't know. Then before I could speak Rosie came up with Bella in her arms. Helen's eyes widened in surprise.

"Nice to see you, Rosie." Helen said. Rosie looked at Helen and then me, her eyes asking me what to do.

"Rosie's staying with me for a while and she has a daughter." I said. Helen knew a lot when it came to Rosie specifically. I didn't have a mother so I talked to Helen about how I felt with Rosie, and of course I told her she wasn't my cousin.

"Well, ain't she a cutie." Helen said looking at Bella.

"She's beautiful." She directed to Rosie. Rosie smiled.

"Thank you." Rosie smiled politely.

_**R**_

"She's beautiful." The woman at the register said.

"Thank you." I said that was nice of her to compliment Isabella. When the women went back to scanning the items Carter bought I leaned over and whispered in her ear.

"Who is she?" I asked. Carter looked at me.

"The bus driver." She said out loud. This got Helen's attention.

"Nu-uh, _ex_-bus driver. Now, local beautician and part-time cashier." Carter laughed and I blushed, embarrassed.

"I am sorry, I didn't remember you." I said to Helen.

"It's alright, Sweetie. I only remembered you because Carter-" Carter loudly cleared her throat. Helen looked at her.

"Wait, she doesn't-"

_"need to know." _Carter finished. What did I now need to know? I looked between Carter and Helen. Helen broke eye contact first, dropping the subject.

"Anywho, you know any time you need a a babysitter to watch her, I'd be _glad_ to do it." Helen said looking back at Carter, who rolled her eyes.

"Just sayin'." Helen commented before finishing up with our items. I looked at Carter who looked to be in thought.

"When is that offer starting?" Carter asked. Helen looked at her.

"As soon as I get off my shift at noon."

"Perfect." Carter said smiling, but then stopped and looked at me.

"If that's ok with you, Rosie." She said. I looked at from her to Helen, who was looking to me also.

"Yes, that is fine." I say somewhat reluctantly. I did not know this woman, but Carter seem to and I could tell Carter trusted her a lot.

"Alrighty, I'll see you guys then." We left the store and went back to Carter's house. Carter handed me the keys and told me to unlock the door and to grab Isabella and she'd get the rest. So, I did, leaving the door open. I laughed when I saw Carter, or lack-there-of. She had boxes higher than her head and everything else, well except Isabella's dog. I looked to my daughter. I was so proud of her, she said her first word today. The scene that followed it would also be locked in my brain. Carter was so adorable sometimes, especially when she tried to speak Spanish. I blushed at the memory of her watching me intently as I showed her how to properly pronounce _perro_. I jumped out of my thoughts when I heard a loud bang near me. I saw that Carter had set the boxes and bags down all at once.

"So, what do you say we have lunch and then it will be about time for Helen to show up and pick Isabella up and then we can get started." She said lookin' at me. I still wasn't 100% comfortable with Isabella going with Helen even though I did remember her.

"You know, if you don't want Bella going with Helen I could call her right up and tell her we changed our minds." I looked at Carter who looked at me seriously, but I saw the little bit of disappointment in her expression.

"No, that is ok, Carter. You trust her and so I trust her." She nodded her head.

"I do, she's like a mom to me and she great with kids." Carter said. I nodded walking into the kitchen.

"What are you doing?" I heard Carter ask. I turned around.

"I am going to cook lunch." Her face frowned.

"You don't have to do that." She said.

"Carter, you are taking care of Isabella and I, you bought her toys and other things she did not need. It is the least I can do." I saw her sigh and bounce down on the couch, giving up. I smiled to myself as I went back to the cupboards to start my famous dish.

When the meal was done cooking I set the table and put the food on the plates. I smiled, I still had it.

Being a queen, any royalty really, people automatically think that you can not or will not serve yourself. With some people this is true, but I am completely the opposite. I love to cook, but living in the palace I do not get to.

I walked to the living room happily content with myself. A small smile came on my face when I saw Carter had fallen asleep on the couch. I looked at Isabella.

"Oh, look, Isabella,it seems like Carter has fallen asleep." I said giggling. Isabella didn't even look up for more than a second. She was too into tangling her hands in the soft slinkies of her toy dog.

"Carter..." I whispered sweetly as I sat beside her on the couch. She didn't stir.

"Carter?" I said a little louder, nudging her slightly. She stirred and turned around, her back now to me and went back to not budging. I decided to get closer. I moved her hair behind her ear and pushed myself closer. I leaned in, my mouth close to her ear.

"Carter." I quietly said in her ear.

"Mmm." I looked at her, she had a content smile on her face, but her eyes were still closed. I moved my lips back close to her ear and opened my mouth to speak.

"Mmm, Rosie.." That stopped me from speaking. _Was she dreaming about me?_ That thought made a shiver run down my body. I let out the breath I was unaware I was holding. It blew across her neck.

"Mmm." Isabella let out a loud happy screech at something, I was not sure, but that snapped me back. I jumped back to my original seat as Carter's eyes slowly opened.

"Mm." She stretched and looked at me. I did not know what to say.

"Lunch is ready." I said as that was the first thing the came to my mind. I got up and went to the kitchen with Carter following. Carter sniffed the air.

"Smells good, what'd you make?" She asked sitting down.

"El pollo de la familia Fiore" I said watching her reaction as she took her first bite. _*Fiore Family Chicken*_

"Yum!" She said still chewing.

"So, you like it?" I asked curiously.

"Mhm." She replied taking another bite.

"Really?" I asked again. She looked at me.

"Yes, why, you'd think I'd lie to you?"

"Well, the last time I made it you basically refused to eat it." I said sitting down at the other set place, taking a bite of my favorite dish.

"What? You've never cooked for me—ohhh." She said as she remembered. Embarrassment flooded her face.

"I'm sorry."

"It is quite alright, Carter. I should have asked." She looked at me.

"No, I over reacted, I-" I held a finger up, quieting her.

"It does not matter. You are enjoying it now, and I am glad, so eat." I said starting to eat my meal as well.

When we were finished we put our plates in the sink and sat on the couch.

"So, when is Helen going to be here?" I asked. Carter looked at her watch.

In about ten minutes." She said looking back over at me.

"You're sure you're ok with this?"

"I am." I said nodding my then looking down at my baby. She was everything I had in this world to me, she was only other person to compare was my mother.. And for Carter, but she was not mine. _One can only wish. _I was shocked at my thoughts, but not surprised.

_!Ring, Ring!_ I jumped as a loud noise broke the silence in the room. I looked over to Carter, who grabbed her cell phone out of her pocket.


	7. Chapter 7

_**R**_

_!Ring, Ring! _I saw Carter take her cell phone out of her pocket. She looked at the caller I.D. And rolled her eyes.

"Hello?" I heard Carter say as she answered the phone. As the conversation continued I could only hear Carter's side.

"Not much." I continued to watch and listen, my curiosity getting the best of me.

"Ya? No, I didn't get it." Carter shook her head.

"I'm sorry." Carter said, her face not really showing anything that she was really sorry for what she was apologizing for.

"No, you can't." She said in a snippy voice.

"Because I'm...busy." She said turning to look at me, sending me a brief smile.

"Ya, sure, next , I don't know, I'll call you first." She said as she listened to the other person.

"Mhm, ya, okay. Bye." She said as she snapped her phone shut, returning it to her pocket.

"Sorry about that." She said smiling a little.

"It is ok." I said. I was about the ask who was on the other line when a knock came to the door. Carter got up and answered it, letting Helen in.

_**C**_

_Why did she have to call? _I sighed in frustration.

"Sorry about that." I said sincerely looking at Rosie.

"It is ok." She said. She looked like she had all kinds of questions she wanted to ask, but didn't know how. _Oh, God, what if she asked who I was talking to? What do I tell her? The truth?_ A knock at the door interupted my panic. I rushed to the door before she could talk. It was Helen. I let her in with a smile.

"Hi, guys. How's it goin'?" She asked looking at us.

"Good." I said honestly, I was doing good, with all considering.

"I am fine, thank you for asking." Rosie answered.

"Alrighty. Is the little one ready?" She asked looking at Bella. I looked over to Rosie who nodded.

"Ya." I said as I picked Bella up.

"Ok, Bell, you're going to go hang with Helen for a little bit, be good." I handed her to Helen. I thanked her as she closed the door. I knew Bella would be ok with her, it's just, it already feels empty without her. I looked over at Rosie, who hadn't stopped staring at the door.

"Are you alright?" I asked. She looked up.

"Yes, I am alright." She answered, giving me a small smile. I knew she was nervous, it was probably the first time Bella's been away from her. It was a good thing I had something planned to distract her.

"Ok, then, come one, lets go." I said waling toward the storage room.

"What are we doing?" She asked as she followed me in. She looked around. The room was now bare with paper on the floor and the paint cans we bought were already set up. I did this early this morning, while she was still asleep. I don't know how I pulled it off, I dropped a lot of things. I guess she really is a heavy sleeper.

"We're painting the room." I said as she looked at me.

"Us?" She questioned.

"Yes, us." I said handing her a paint brush. "Just think of it of it as the painting you did when you were little. You did paint, didn't you." Her brows lowered.

"Yes, Carter, who hasn't?" I laughed opening the cans.

"Just making sure." I said as I dipped my brush in and starting painting the wall. After a couple of minutes I had half of one done. I looked over at Rosie. She dunked her brush in the paint and then took it out, repeating the action again.

"You gonna paint?" I asked. She nodded as she took her brush out of the paint can again, this time sliding it across the blank, white wall.

Thirty minutes later we had every wall except one finished.

"I'm gonna go get a water, you want one?" I asked Rosie, dropping my brush in the paint can. She nodded as she started to paint the last wall.

I got two bottles of cold water out of the fridge and went back in the room, leaving the door open this time. I was working out a sweat in there; it was really hot. I handed Rosie hers and opened my guzzling down half the bottle in one swig. I saw Rosie lift her to her lips and delicately start to drink it. Does everything about this girl, _women, _scream formality? I watch her swallow the water, looking from her forehead, that was lined with mini sweat beads, down to her lips, encasing the top of the bottle and then down to the column of her throat. It bobbed slightly each time she swallowed. _Oh, God._ I had to forcefully make myself tare my eyes from Rosie, focusing on what I needed to get done, finishing painting this room. I tossed my water in a random direction on the floor and grabbed my brush again.

_**R**_

As I drank the water, I felt refreshed and ready to finish the room. I turned to see Carter head already started on the last wall and was almost done. I set my bottle down on the covered floor and grabbed my brush with fresh paint on it and walked up to Carter.

"Hey, Carter?" I questioned as I was just a little ways behind her. She turned around and looked at me. When she did I took my brush and poked her nose with it, getting the paint on the very tip of it. Her eyes went wide with shock and then went to cross-eyed, trying to look at her nose. I laughed. Her eyes shot to me.

"I think that you look very good in that color, Carter. It is _defiantly_ your style." I said still laughing.

"Oh, you are you gonna get it, _Queen Rosalinda_." She said as she dipped her paint brush in her paint can and started walking toward me. I started backing away every time she came forward. I did so until I felt my back hit against the door. A smile slowly crept on Carter's face.

"Think about it. You do not want to go and make a mess just because I had a relapse in maturity, Carter." I said still backed against the door. She looked to be of thought for a moment.

"You're right, Rosie, just because you chose to be immature doesn't mean I have to follow." She said walking away. I let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you for seeing that, Carter. Now lets finish this-" I was interrupted by paint splatting from the right top of my head, down my clothes. "Wall." I finished in a breath. Carter laughed so hard. I stood in the middle of the room looking at Carter, the guilty, and the wall we have yet to finish.

"What goes around, comes around, Rosie." She said with a satisfied smirk on her face before she turned and started to paint the rest of the wall. I dunk my brush back into the paint and flung the paint at her as she had done to me. It got all over her back, but surprisingly, very little got in her dark, raven hair. She didn't jump, or turn around and retaliate, like I had expected her to do. She just painted the wall. I went and got my bottle of water and took a drink. I saw Carter slowly bend down and re-dunk her brush in the paint, still not facing my way. I didn't think nothing of it, thinking we were done, until I felt the familiar cool splat of the paint against my body again. I put my water bottle down again, dunking my paint in the can and rising. I saw Carter turn around smiling, just to be met with paint now on her front side . I laughed and dunked my brush again. I felt paint splash on my back. I turned around to see Carter with her tongue sticking out. I flung paint at her again. We continued this paint fight for a while, until I decided I had gotten enough paint on my summer dress. I wonder what Mr. Elegante would think; he'd probably shriek in terror. But then probably shriek with happiness when he found out it was Carter who I was with when it happened. Yes, he was a very expressive person. He was also my best and most trusted friend in the palace. So, of course he knew of my thing about Carter. He was the one I confided that most classified information to.

I started running toward the door, figuring that Carter wouldn't allow this in any other room in her house. As I made my way to the door though, Carter stopped me.

"Oh, no, you don't" She said as she grabbed my waist. I hung on the the door knob, not being able to turn it open with my hands slippery with paint. My hands slipped off the door knob and Carter and I tumbled to the floor. She landed on top of me with her face in my chest. I breathed in deep, getting hit instantly with the scent of Carter's shampoo. _Vanilla and Coconut._ That smell will always be connected to Carter in my mind forever now.

Carter slowly lifted her head up. When she did I saw a blush on her cheeks. I heard her mumble _sorry_ before her hair fell over her face. I reached a hand up and placed some of it back behind her ear. She looked up and we locked eyes. Was it me or was her face getting closer to mine? I thought I was imagining it, that was until I could feel Carter's breath on my lips. Her eyes went from mine to my lips.

"Carter?" I questioned softly.

"Shh." I felt the puff of air leave her mouth and glide over mine. Her head and lips got closer and closer, then I felt it, the pull. It was like our lips were magnets, trying to connect with their opposite side. I lifted my head up, trying to meet her lips quicker. When our lips connected I felt that spark; the spark I so desperately tried to have with Antonio, but didn't have a say with Carter, it just happened. It felt so good to finally be able to do what I wanted to do that day at her high school dance. _It was well worth the wait._ I decided in my mind.

Our magical kiss was short lived, cut, trhough when a knock was at the front door followed by constant ringing of Carter's doorbell. Carter pulled away and groaned.

"This isn't over." She let out. I nodded, not really sure what she meant.

I dropped my head to the floor with a sigh as Carter got up and went to answer the door.

When Carter left, I couldn't stop my mind from going back to that kiss, even if our lips just touched. I run my tongue across my lips, moistening them. They still tasted like Carter's. I sighed, staring at the ceiling, waiting for Carter to come back and explain. All of a sudden I heard a scream; it sounded like Carter. I bolted up and and out of the room to find it was Carter who screamed, but it was a happy scream.

_**C**_

I angerly walked to the door. _Why does everything good in my life have to be interrupted by this God-damned door? _I thought sarcastically to myself. _My dream of Rosie, and my kiss with Rosie._ Maybe Rosie and my front door clashed. Maybe I should buy a new one. I shook my head at this overly dramatic thought. _It was all just a horrible unlucky coincidence._ I unlatched one lock and unlocked the door lock before opening it. I was greeted with the best surprise ever on the other side though. I engulfed the one person I had been missing the most in a big bear hug. _My dad._ We pulled apart and I had a big smile on my face.

"Hey, Pal." He said with a laugh. My smile got bigger.

"Hey, Dad." I said hugging him again. After a moment or two we pulled away.

"You gonna let your old man in?" He asked with a smile on his face. I moved out of the way and he came in and sat on the couch.

"So, how are you doing?" He asked when I sat down next to him. My mind went to the kiss.

"Great." _I am wonderful._

"That's good." Then his face turn to a serious note.

"How's Rosie doing?"

"She's adapting well, and Bella's doing good too." I said anticipating his next question. He nodded, liking the answers.

"Where are they?" He asked next.

"Rosie's in—right there." I just noticed Rosie standing awkwardly in the door way of the storage room. My dad turned around.

"Hey, Rosie." He said smiling. She smiled back, not moving from her spot.

"No, need to be shy, come here." My dad said as he made his way over to her. He put his arms around her and hugged her, a little less tight than me, but it was a love-filled hug either way. I smiled as the two came back.

"So, how ya been, Rosie?" My dad asked now asking the source instead of me.

"I am wonderful. Carter has been great to me and Isabella." She said sending a smile my way. My dad nodded.

"That's great. So where is Isabella; I would love to meet her."

"She's with Helen. Helen offered to babysit while me and Rosie painted Bella's room."

"So, that explains the paint." He said pointing to mine and Rosie's paint-stained clothes.

"Ya, we kinda had a paint fight." I saw my dad roll his eyes. "She started it!" I quickly pointed out. He looked at Rosie.

"Rosie?" He said holding a laugh.

"I plead the 5th." She said in her queen voice. Then she looked at us.

"You do that here, right?" My dad and I started laughing.

"Yes, Rosie, you can." My dad said getting his laughter under control. It was quiet so I decided to ask the question on my mind.

"How long you stayin', Dad?" He looked at me.

"Only a couple of weeks, Pal. The board of Princess #947 is trying to convince her that going with me is in her best interest. She's a stubborn one." He said with a smile.

"Oh, well you know princesses. Most of them are either stubborn or annoying." I joked, pointedly at Rosie. Rosie's mouth gaped and she pushed me forcefully on the couch.

"Hey! I was kidding!" I said, smirking and raising my hands in a surrendering manner.

"Mhm." My dad laughed at the exchange between Rosie and I. It was silent for a few moments before I thought of something.

"Daddy..?" I said in my sweetest of sweet voices.

"What do you want?" He asked skeptically. I feigned a hurt expression. Which he didn't seem to buy, so I jut gave up.

"You said you're gonna be home for a couple of weeks, right?"

"Yeah."

"So how would you feel, say next Wednesday Rosie, Bella and I come over for supper?" I smiled big.

"I'd love it." I looked to Rosie.

"Is that okay with?" She simply nodded.

"Good, then we're coming over for supper." I said. He laughed.

"Alright, what do you want to eat?"

"Your famous chili, what else?" He laughed and nodded his head.

* * *

"You sure it's alright with you, going over to my dad's house tomorrow?" I asked Rosie as I shut the door after watching my dad pull out of my driveway.

"Yes. Why do you keep asking my questions twice?" She had a bit of an annoyed tone to her voice.

"Huh? No, I don't." She gave me a pointed look.

"Okay, maybe I do. But it's just because I don't want you to be forced into doing anything you don't feel you're ready for or particularly don't want to do."

"Thank you for your concern, Carter, but I don't need to be treated like a damsel in distress. That may be how we a perceived in stories and fairy tales, but trust me when I say in real life, royal women tend to be tougher than the men. Though we may not look it, that's the best part." She smirked at the last part.

"Point taken." I said with a wink.

"But for the sake of being me; are you really sure you want to do to my dad's for dinner Wednesday?" She gave me a slight glare and rolled her eyes.

"I am completely sure, that is unless you would rather Isabella and I stay here. Which I unders-"

"What? No, of course I want you guys to come with me." I said quickly, dismissing her thoughts. She smiled widely.

"Good because I have missed his cooking. He is better than the palace chef." I let out laugh. _Ya, okay. My dad, Joe Mason, Bate shop owner, is better than a five-star head chef of a royal palace._

Now, it was just me and Rosie, alone. The kiss came to mind again. I looked at her from the corner of my eye.

"I'm sorry." I said not daring to look at her. Her head cocked in the cutest way.

"Why are you sorry?" She asked. Did she not get what just happened a couple of minutes ago?

"Rosie, I shouldn't have kissed you." I said looking her straight in the eyes. Her face fell just a bit. _Why?_

"You have nothing to feel sorry for, Carter." She looked so small with the look on her face. I couldn't do this to her.

"Yes, I do." I said softly, trying to control my emotions. She shook her head.

"No, you do not-"

"God damn it, Rosie!" I yelled, jumping her and honestly me too. I got up off the couch and started pacing. This was it, I needed to tell her before we got too into this, before _I_ got to used to her being here.

"Rosie, I'm gay." I stated as calmly as I could in the state I was in. I was never ashamed of my sexuality before; everyone I told has accepted me. But just the thought of being looked as as disgusting or 'not right' in Rosie's eyes was enough for me to breakdown right there. I snuck a glance at her. Her eyes were a little wide. I knew it, she hated me now.

"I'm sorry." I said as I ran out of the house, slamming the screen door, running to my secret place. When I got there I let it all out. I cried like I haven't in a long while.

_**R**_

I wanted to hold Carter and tell her it was ok; I did not care that she was gay, in fact it made a lot of things clear in my head. I was shocked to hear it, yes, but that was only because I did not think the person I loved since I was 16 actually might like me back. When we kissed for the fraction of a second, it confirmed that I indeed had strong feelings for Carter. I thought Carter felt it too, but the way she just reacted made me doubt that. I put my face in my hands and drew in a shaky breath. I hope that kiss didn't ruin our friendship; I would be shattered if it did. Carter was the one person in this world I know can count on, being taken away from her now that we were reunited would break me. I drew another breath and got up, deciding moping wouldn't help me or bring Carter back any faster. I walked into what was now Isabella's room. I smiled when I saw all the paint splattered on the covered floor. I started to untape that and clean up the room, seeing that Carter and I were finished painting anyway.

_**C**_

I got to the abandoned boat shack. I used to go here all the time to think. I found this place when I was twelve and my mom died. I was devastated, but didn't want to show my dad, he was more heart broken than I was; he lost his one true love. They were together for fourteen years. I told him I was going to Ed's house, but instead ran until I couldn't run anymore and ended up here. So this is where I went from then on when I wanted to be alone. Nobody knows where I am, so I won't be bothered.

"Why me!" I yelled out in the air. That's the other thing I liked about this place; you can yell, scream, whatever as loud as you want, nobody lives close enough to hear you. _I kissed her._ _Why? I didn't have to act on my feelings; I've had plenty of crushes and I didn't do anything on them. But Rosie; Rosie was different. There was something about her that made me want to protect her with my life, kiss her senseless and make love to her 'til she is screaming in the most un-queen like manner. _I shook my head. Why'd I have to kiss her? I hit my forehead with my hand. I kissed her, yelled at her and left. I am such a jack-ass. I needed to get back and tell her I's sorry and it won't happen again. I came to a good conclusion and go up off of the rock I was sitting on and started on my journey back home.

_**R**_

I looked at the clock on the kitchen wall, 5:23. Carter had been gone for about a half an hour. I sighed. I didn't know when she would be back, but Helen would be back with Isabella in about seven minutes. I had to do something to get my mind off of everything that happened. I decided I should start dinner, so when Isabella was back she'd have something to eat, and maybe when Carter returned she'd be hungry and eat with me. _Like that will happen._ I got up and started some potatoes on to boil.

_!Knock, Knock! _I got up from the table, where I had been watching the potatoes boil, and answered the door. It was Helen and my baby girl. I smiled as Helen handed her to me. I was so happy to see her. It was the first time I had been away from her, I got through it _thanks to Carter_, but I still missed her awful. I heard Helen laugh.

"How was she?" I asked as I settled her on my hip and looked at Helen.

"She was perfect." Helen said with a smile.

"I'm glad." I said as I ushered her to come in and closed the door behind her. She smiled and then looked at me up and down.

"What happened to you?" She asked. I looked down at my clothes that were still covered with dried pink paint. I smiled.

"Carter and I kind of got into a paint fight." I said still smiling at how much fun that was. It had felt good to let loose of everything. Helen laughed and nodded.

"Where is Carter?" She asked looking around. My smiled dropped as I remembered what had happened after. Helen looked at me with a soft face.

"What happened?" She asked in a serious tone I don't remember her having before.

"Then we kind of got in a real fight." I said, looking down at my daughter who still clutched the bear Carter gave her.

"What about?" Helen asked in a whisper, her hand now softly resting on my shoulder. I shook my head.

"I do not know." I answered honestly. Helen nodded taking her hand off my shoulder. She was silent for a while.

"Would you like to stay and have dinner with me?" I asked Helen as I sat Isabella in her new highchair before going to check on the vegetables and potatoes.

"Sure, Sweetie, if you don't mind." She said looking at me.

"No, of course not. I'd love to have you stay." I said. I didn't know what time Carter'd be back.

"Ok, thanks, Sweetie." She said as she sat at the table. I finished with the meal and set the table.

"It's done, you can help yourself." I said as I set a small plate down to cool off for Isabella. Helen got some of her own and then I got a plate for myself and set Isabella's in front of her, which she pawed for. I smiled and let her try and eat it herself. She didn't need to be a poised princess here. Babies shouldn't have to put on an act anyway, but Antonio thought otherwise. I started picking at my food, not really eating it, I hadn't planned on it, I was not hungry to begin with. It was healthy though, to have three meals a day.

"That was really good." Helen said getting up with me as we put our dishes in the sink.

"Thank you." I looked at Isabella. She was still eating, more like smearing, her food happily over her face.

The door opened with a creak, I looked over and saw Carter come in. She looked like she had been crying.


	8. Chapter 8

_**C *A couple of minutes before the end of the last chapter***_

I waited outside for a couple of minutes before I decided I was being stupid and went and opened the door. I found Rosie and Helen sitting at the table. I was surprised Helen was here. _Did she stay for supper?_ She probably did. I looked at my watch; it's almost seven. Was I really gone for that long? I decided I should get out of the door way; I shut the door and made my way to Rosie and Helen. When I got there, they just stared at me. God, this was awkward.

"Hey." I said mainly to Rosie. She looked at me and then down.

"Hello." Helen said. She looked at me with that strict mother look, like 'I got something to talk to you about'.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, trying to get the awkwardness out of the air, failing miserably.

"I stayed and had supper with Rosie." She said not letting up on the look.

"Oh. What'd you guys have?" I looked at the only plate that was left on the table, Bella's.

"Shepard's Pie." Rosie spoke up.

"My favorite." I said with a smile. Rosie gave a small one back.

"Yes, _your favorite_." Helen spoke back up in the conversation. I looked at her to Rosie and finally to Bella. She had the ingredients all over her face. She looked so adorable. I laughed.

"You let Bella feed herself." I stated.

"Yes, she has yet to perfect it." Rosie said with a true smile on her face. Tension was cut in half.

"Which reminds me, I need to bathe her." Rosie said as she took Bella to the bathroom. I was going to stop her and tell her I needed a picture but it wasn't my place, especially with the way things were in now.

"What happened, Carter?" Helen asked after Rosie left. I looked at her. Had Rosie told her anything?

"Let's go to the living room." I said. I didn't need Rosie hearing any of this.

"What happened?" She asked again.

"What'd Rosie tell you?" I asked.

"Nothin', absolutely nothing." She said with a shake of her head. I sighed. If there was a person I'd talk to about this, it'd be Helen. I rested my hands in my lap, wringing them.

"Rosie and I kissed, _briefly._" Helen's face changed. She knew how I felt about Rosie back when she stayed with me and my dad.

"Oh." She said. I nodded and took a deep breath.

"Then my dad came over, interrupting _the most perfect moment_." Helen smiled.

"Parents have the worst timing." I nodded in agreement.

"Then, when he left, it settled in_, _what I had done. _I kissed her._" It sounded weird to voice it out loud, though I had said it so many times in my head. She nodded understandingly.

"Did she kiss you back?" She asked. I shrugged.

"I don't know, possibly? The kiss was so short." I said a little sad.

"She looked awful sad when I got here. She was happy when she saw her daughter, but at first I could see it in her eyes, she wished it was you." Helen stated. I let it process.

"Maybe she was worried?" I threw out.

"Oh, I know she was. She barely touched her food." I nodded.

"What are you gonna do?" Helen asked. _I didn't know what I was gonna do._

"Tell her the truth." I said. Helen smiled.

"Good." She said as she gave my knee a pat. She got up. I got up too and gave her a hug.

"Thanks, Helen." I said as we got out of the hug.

"Anytime, Hun." She said. I smiled at her.

"See ya." She said as she left. I sat back down of the couch.

I had been sitting on the couch for about ten minutes before Rosie came out of the bathroom with a clean and comfy Isabella in her arms. Isabella may have been all dry and clean, but Rosie had water all over her shirt. I stifled a laugh.

"Isabella enjoy her bath?" I asked when she got in the living room. She sat in the chair next to the couch. That hurt just a bit, her not sitting next to me like usual, but I ignored it. She smiled as she looked at her baby who had Buddy in her right arm and her left thumb in her mouth.

"Ya, she did. She enjoyed that duck you got her, she kept squirting and splashing me with water." She laughed. I loved her laugh. But I had something I needed to say, before I lost my nerve.

"When are you putting Isabella to bed?" I asked her.

"In just a minute, why?" I took a breath.

"Because I have some things to talk to you about." Her face changed.

"Ok, I will be out in a couple of minutes." She said as she disappeared with Bella in the room.

The waiting was the hard part. I knew what I wanted to say, I just needed her to be here so I could say it. I heard her turn off the light and shut the door half way. When she came back to the living room she sat beside me. She was perfectly poised, knees locked together, back straight, and hands in her lap, like always.

"I'm not sorry I kissed you." I got it out in one breath. She looked at me.

"Good. There-" I shook my head.

"This will be a lot easier if you just listen." I tried to say as nice as I could. She nodded, so I continued.

"I'm not sorry I kissed you; I wanted to for so long." I said. I looked at her. Her face had nothing, she just looked at me.

"When we started that paint war, it was just out of fun, but when we ended in that position, I couldn't help myself." I continued.

"I like you, Rosie, so much. That's part of the reason I wanted to help you, so I'd know _myself_ that you'd be safe." I dared to look at her when I confessed my feelings, her face still didn't change.

"I want to tell you that, as much as I loved that little kiss we shared, I can promise you it won't happen again." That made me a little sad, but if I wanted to salvage my friendship with Rosie, nothing could come of my feelings. Rosie's face changed just in the slightest downward and then back to neutral. I took a break. This last part was going to be the hardest for me. Rosie was still quiet. I wished she'd say something, but I told her not to. So I continued.

"Now that I got that out; you know everything. I want to say if you want to leave and go back to Costa Luna or stay with someone else. I won't hold it against you. I just want you and Isabella to be safe and happy." I got most of that out, with only the last part my voice cracked a bit. I stopped altogether.

"May I speak?" Rosie asked. I couldn't help but laugh even through the tears were threatening to fall. I nodded.

"I do not wish to be any where else than here with you." She said. I was shocked.

"It doesn't bother you that I am gay?" I asked. She just shook her head.

"No, why should it?"

"How many gay people do you know?" I asked answering her question with one of my own.

"Quite a few." She said seriously. I let out a laugh.

"Really?" I asked not believing her. She had a small smile of her own.

"Ok, only three." She confessed. I was surprised she knew that many.

"Who?" I asked out of my own curiosity.

"Mr. Elegante and a maid in the palace is gay." She said as we got back into a slight comfortable conversation.

"I knew it!" I said. I knew her dress designer was gay. My gaydar was going off like mad around him. Rosie smiled.

"Yes, it is quite evident Mr. Elegante is into men. I set him up with Arthur, his current boyfriend, actually." She said smiling. "They are quite lovely together."

"You told me you knew three gay people; you only said two. Who's the third?" She smiled and shook her head.

"Oh, come on; you can't do that to me." I said whining. She smile a bit more.

"Oh, I can and I will." She smiled confidently. I pouted.

"Not fair."

"Do not be a downer, Carter." She said still smiling. I smiled too.

"So, you're really ok with everything?" I asked. I didn't want to bring it back up when we seemed to be getting along, but I need to be sure. She looked up at me.

"Yes, Carter, I am. You are still the Carter Mason I know and love, right?" She said love. _Don't focus on that._

"The one and only." I smiled proudly. She smiled and tackled me in a hug. I laughed into it. I hugged her back tightly.

"I do not wish to ever argue again." I heard her whisper.

"Me either, Rosie." I said. _I can be a good friend, no feelings._ After a while I decided I could be this close to her without doing something I'd regret.

"Hey, Rosie. You wanna watch a movie?" I asked her. She lifted her head off my shoulder.

"Yes, I'd love that." She said getting off me.

"'Kay, what do you want to watch?" I asked going over to my DVD collection.

"I do not care." She said getting up. _Okay, what to pick? Horror? Definitely not, I don't need her jumping in my arms. Romance? Nope, to mushy. Comedy? Sure. Nothing perverted. _RV, Robin Williams, _score! I love this movie._

I put the movie in and Rosie returned with snacks. I looked at what she brought. Peanut butter and pickles? Ick.

"What's up with the snack choice?" I asked as she sat down.

"I was craving salty, sweet, and sour, and these foods together have them all." She said as she dipped one of her pickles in the peanut butter. I stuck my tongue out as she bit into the contraption she invented. She smiled as she chewed and swallowed.

"This is good." She said as she repeated her actions. I cringed again. She looked over at me.

"You want to try it?" She asked. I shook my head as I pressed play and the TV screen lit up and the movie started. She frowned.

"Please?" She tried again. I shook my head again.

"You couldn't pay me a million dollars to eat that." I stated.

"For me?" She asked innocently, with a bat of her long lashes. I sighed.

"You're really gonna use that?" I asked. She nodded smiling.

"Fine, give me the, I don't even know what to call it." She just handed me the pickle dipped in peanut butter. I slowly brought it closer to my mouth. I took a bite of it and chewed and swallowed. It wasn't the worst thing I've eaten, but not something I'd just think 'hey this sounds good.'

"It's alright." I said.

"Ha! You like it!" She said triumphantly. I rolled my eyes and finished the pickle.

"Hey, you stole my pickle." She whined. I smiled chewing.

"You can come and get some if you want." I said with a smirk. _I was flirting with Rosie. Oh, well. It was all in fun. _She actually looked like she was thinking about it. But instead she just grabbed another pickle and stuck her tongue out at me. I just swallowed and started to watch the movie. _Pity._

The movie was good, I hadn't seen it in forever. It was almost over, about fifteen minutes left. I turned to look at Rosie. She was barely able to keep her eyes open.

"Enjoying the movie?" She looked over to me.

"Yes." She said trying to hold in a yawn. I got up and turned the DVD player off and then the TV, the room now only lit by the moonlight.

"Hey, I was watching that." Rosie said, smiling weakly.

"Uh, ha. Lets go to bed." I said as she got up. When I got to the room I jumped right in bed. I was fine with sleeping in what I was wearing; it was only sweats and a t-shirt. Rosie was different; she had to have bed wear. I watched as she got a night gown out of her still unpacked suitcase. She lifted her shirt above her head. I tore my eyes from her, staring at my wall until I felt her get in the bed. After a while I turned over and saw her facing me. Her eyes were closed, her face had the most serene look.

"Good night, Rosie." A small smile appeared on her face, her eyes still closed.

"Buenas Noches, Carter. _Good Night._" She said in her native tongue. I smiled. I love when she spoke Spanish. She translated it in a quiet voice.

***…***

_"Where is she?" Antonio screamed._

_"I will not tell." The Mr. Elegante protested._

_"You still will not? That is quite alright, I'll find her on my own." Antonio grabbed Mr. Elegante by his suit, bringing him closer to his face._

_"Rosalinda will not get away with running. I will make her pay." Antonio spat at Mr. Elegante. Mr. Elegante just took it with out a flinch. Antonio left. Mr. Elegante let out a breath and lifted his shirt. He flinched when he saw blood trickling down his stomach. Thank goodness it was not that bad I need stitches. He thought. _I hope you are safe, my princess_. He looked at the ceiling, silently praying._

* * *

_**C**_

It had been a couple of days since Rosie got here and we have fallen into a good routine. It was like a family in a way. Rosie and I have never been closer. Isabella has added some new words to her vocabulary, in Spanish and English. She is becoming more vocal. It's so adorable.

I watched what was going on outside my living room window; it was pouring hard outside. It had been for about a half an hour; everything was drenched. Rosie was giving Bella a bath. We kinda tried her hands out at finger painting. She had a ball, but made a big mess while doing so. The painting should be done drying. I got up and checked on it. It was. I proudly hung it on my fridge and then took a step back, admiring the smudges of the assortment of the colors.

"Car, Car!" I heard from behind me. Ya, her vocabulary was growing. I was now known as 'Car'. I smiled. Rosie just laughed as she handed Bella to me.

"That will never get old." She said heading to the bedroom to change her shirt. Isabella always splashed in the tub. I followed her, stopping in the door way.

"So, what else do you want to do on this marvelous day?" I asked sarcastically. She pulled her shirt over her head and pulled another one back on right after. I didn't gawk at her, much.

"What do you want to do?" She asked. I shrugged.

"Movie?" I asked lifting Bella up, out of reach of my hair, a new found pull toy she'd discovered and enjoyed.

"Sure."

"You pick this time." I said going to get Bella her blanket and toys for her to play with on the floor.

_**R**_

Carter had so many movies; how could she ask me to choose? I decided to pick one at random. I reached in the box and drew one out. I looked at the cover. It was disgusting, the cover art. The title read _Freddie vs. Jason_. My manners teacher taught me to never judge a book by its cover. I guess it works the same way with movies besides, maybe this movie with have a happy ending. I put it in the player and sat down waiting for Carter to return before pressing play. Once she did I pressed play and sat on the couch in a cozy blanket. Carter shut the lights off and clased the curtains.

"What movie'd you pick?" She asked sitting beside me. I handed her the case, not taking my eyes off the screen.

"This is a horror movie; you know that, right?" I nodded. I saw her get comfortable and start to watch the screen also.

About forty minutes into the film I was engaged as well as untterly horrified. The thought of someone being able to get in your dreams and kill you was scary. The movie was almost over. I could tell by how much things were going on. I got ready, blocking myself with the blanket up to my chest. The character, Jason, was in the car with the kids. _I know he's going to wake up. He's going to wake up. Stupid kids, get out-!_

_!Plink! _I jumped and ducked under the blanket with a squeal. Carter laughed.

"Hello, Director." I heard her say. I peeked from the blanket. Now I was utterly embarrassed. The director looked at Carter then to me, raising an eyebrow.

"Queen Rosalinda, are you okay?" I blush. Thank goodness the lights were off.

"Yes." I answered.

"We were watching a scary movie." Carter explained. The director nodded her head, with a slight curve to her lips.

"How are you adapting, Rosalinda?" I looked over at Carter. When our eyes met, I smiled.

"Quite well." She nodded.

"How is Isabella?" I looked at my baby, sleeping, as per usual.

"Amazing." She looked surprised, but just nodded, again.

"Major Mason, a word in the other room, please." The general looked over to Carter. She got up off the couch and went to her bedroom. The screen popped back to our movie. I paused it; I did not want to watch this alone.

_**C**_

My bedroom TV popped on. I sat on the edge of my bed.

"Extraction complete?" She asked. I nodded.

"Extraction complete, _and successful_."

"Good. Now, I have something to tell you." I waited for her to continue.

"Costa Luna is under a raid, lead by Antonio Raihson,-"

"Rosie's husband!" I spat out.

"Yes. How did you know?" I didn't answer her question. I was to enraged he had gotten to the country.

"What are we planning?" I asked.

"Nothing for now, we want to see how serious he is before we plan an attack. Right now he has not hurt anybody."

"What? He hurt Rosie!" I screeched. She looked at me, unhappily.

"I am sorry. But you can't just wait to do something. He's the reason Isabella and Rosie had to come here in the first place. Imagine what he's gonna do to her people and, _oh God, _her mother. You have to do something before he has the chance to touch her." I said starting to see how it felt like to have the whole country depend on you. How could Rosie do this for a lifetime? The director looked at me.

"You make a good point." _Damn right I do._

"There is just one more favor I need to ask of you, Major Mason." I nodded. _What could it be this time?_

"Do not tell Rosalinda about any of this." What? She expected me to keep this information from Rosie? It's about her own country! When I was about to retaliate the screen turned off. I got back out to the living room to find Rosie rocking Isabella in her arms, singing that same Spanish lullaby. I just stopped where I was, just observing them. When the song was finished she carried her to her room. I followed, stopping in the door way, giving them space. She turned around after setting her to bed.

"Movie night over?" I asked. She nodded.

"Yes. I quite disliked that movie." She said turning the light off, shutting the door half way.

"Then why did you watch it?" I asked.

"Because it is yours, so you must enjoy it." She stated plainly.

"Ya, I love horror films, but that doesn't mean you have to pick them." She just shrugged. We made our way to the bedroom. I turned the living room tv and DVD player off on the way. Rosie left the room to change and I decided to change in here. I got out of my clothes and grabbed some pj pants, pulling them on. I looked through my pj draw for my big comfy shirt. In the middle of my search the door open. I shot up and saw Rosie; her eyes looked at me and then scanned down. I was in pj pants and a bra. The warmth in my cheeks rose. I looked up from the ground. She was still checking me out. Despite how embarrassed I was, my eyes fell on what she was wearing. _My shirt._

"You're wearing my shirt." I stated, breaking the silence that overcame us. Her eyes looked to me. She was silent.

"I was looking for that." I said going up to her. She blinked a couple times.

"Hmm?" I smiled.

"You're wearing my shirt; the shirt I was looking for." I said for the second time. Her face changed.

"Oh. Do you want it?" She asked, reaching at the hem, about to pull it over her head. My eyes widened.

"No." I said holding a hand, stopping her actions. It is already embarrassing, her seeing me like this. Her taking off _my_ shirt would consist of both of us being in our bras. Unless Rosie isn't wearing a bra. _Oh, Lord._ As for the shirt. If she did give it to me, I would have the knowledge that she was previously wearing it. So my senses would be keen on her scent. I shook my head.

"No, it's ok, keep it." I said grabbing a shirt out of my draw at random and slipping it on. We got in bed and I turned the light off and turned to her.

"Why do you wear my clothes when yours are unpacked. Your's are better looking and much more expansive, I'm sure." I said.

"Your's are much more comfortable than mine." Ya, I guess, seeing as mine consist of mainly old t-shirts and sweats.

"I could buy you some. You know, so you could take some back with you, when you go." My statement went from offering to reminding myself that this was temporary. _I gotta stop doing that._ Rosie was quiet.

"I'd rather continue wearing your's. If that is alright with you, Carter." She stated. Rosie in my clothes, why the hell would I say no to that.

"Sure."

"Thank you." She said. I saw her snuggle closer to me. She was close enough that I could see her beautiful smile in the luminance of the moon light.

"Rosie can I tell you something?" She looked at me with those big expressive brown eyes.

"Yes, of course, Carter, anything." I sighed.

"I want to thank you for coming here." _Stupid! That's not what I wanted to tell her._ She looked confused.

"No, thank you, for letting me come her, for protecting me." She finished. I was frustrated with myself, but I smiled over at her. She closed her eyes. I just watched her laying there peacefully before closing mine and slowly drifting to sleep.

_**R**_

"You can't take her!" I woke with a start to Carter calling out. It was loud. I turned to find her snuggled up to me, with half her face in the pillow. _No wonder why I was so warm._

"No." She mumbled with a creased brow. She was having a dream, and by the sounds of it it wasn't a happy one. I took a hand out of her embrace, shaking her. To my surprise she woke right up. She shook her head, with a worried look of her face. She looked over to me and her face changed to relieved.

"You seemed to be having a bad dream. Are you ok?" I asked quietly. She looked over.

"Ya, now."

"What was it about?" I asked. She closed her eyes, taking a breath.

"It was bad, real bad." Was all she said. I took that as an answer, not pushing anymore, seeing how upset she was.

"So, breakfast.." She said awkwardly. She was about to get up, but I pushed her back down. She looked up at me.

"Let me." I said. She was about to protest but before she could I jumped out of the bed and tossed the covers over her head, laughing. I went to my daughter's room and looked in the crib. I saw her two eyes pop up and look at me. She reached up, meaning she wanted to be picked up.

"Good morning, Princesa Isabella." I said with a smile on my face. She cooed. I grabbed her bear, knowing she's be fussy without him. I carried her out to the kitchen with me. I grabbed the ingredients I need to make pancakes. I look at Isabella who met my eye contact curiously. It was a thing she started.

"What kind of pancakes should we make Carter?" I asked my baby. Her face lit up.

"Car!" I giggled at her nickname for Carter.

"Yes, Car." I said as I grabbed three ingredients, chocolate chips, blueberries and peanut butter.

"Which one?" I asked, showing her the choices. She grabbed for the blueberries.

"Ok, tortitas con arándanos it is." I said as I gave her a berry. She squished it in her hands and then inspected them. She then brought her hand to her and nibbled on it. She seemed to enjoy it. I placed her in her high chair with a few berries and started to cook the pancakes.

When they were done, they smelled delicious. I plated them and coated them with sugary syrup and sprinkled a couple fresh blueberries on top, for presentation. Satisfied with my finished product, I made my way back to Carter's room with the pancakes in one hand and Isabella in the other. I made my way into the quiet bedroom. Carter was facing the opposite direction of the door, her hair sprawled all over her pillow. She fell back asleep.

I placed Isabella on the end of the bed, making my way over to Carter. Isabella, however, beat me too Carter.

"Car!" She screeched happily as she crawled her way. Carter opened her eyes with a smile. She looked over at Isabella and picked her up, sitting up herself against the head board. She looked up at me when I sat down on the bed.

"Mornin'." She greeted with a smile to me.

"Good morning, again, Carter." I said. Her eyes went from me to the plate. I giggled.

"Is that for me?" She gazed at the plate or steaming pancakes I was holding. I nodded giggling again. I handed it to her as she put Isabella on the bed in between us as I scooted closer. She took a bite of the gooey concoction and swallowed with a happy 'Mmm'. She took a few more bites then looked at me.

"This is fantastic." I blushed at the compliment.

"Thank you."

"Where did you learn to cook so good?" She asked taking another bite.

"I told you, my mother was a commoner before she married my father; she taught me to cook." She nodded.

"Well, five stars!" She said enthusiastically.

After another bite she looked at me.

"Did you cook yourself some?" I shook my head.

"Why not?" She asked. She stopped eating.

"I was not hungry." I stated. She shook her head.

"Have a bite?" She offered, getting a piece of pancake with syrup on the fork. I shook my head again.

"Come on, all chefs need to taste their masterpieces." She stated putting the fork in her mouth and chewing and swallowing with another 'Mmm'. She drew another piece on the fork, offering it to me again. I stared at it.

"Come on, _you know you want to_." She said waving the fork back in forth in front of me. I latched my mouth on it, taking the piece off along with all of the syrup. When I pulled back I saw Carter staring intently at me. I smiled as the sugary syrup and sweet taste of the blueberries slid down my throat. Carter still stared at me. I took her distraction and grabbed the fork from her. I lifted another bite of the pancake to my mouth. Carter finally noticed after one of her pancakes were half gone. She looked up at me. She glared a little. It was so adorable; I couldn't help but giggle.

"You stole my pancake." She huffed, crossing her arms. I smiled, taking yet another bite.

"Yes, I do believe I did." I said savoring the flavor. She huffed again.

"Now I'm gonna starve." She said. I smiled.

"Oh, stop being so over-dramatic, Carter." I picked up another bite, silently offering it to her. She nodded and I finished my way to her mouth. Her lips slowly closed over the utensil. I swallowed, watching intently as she slowly slid her lips off of the fork. _Was she doing this on purpose?_ After she swallowed her eyes met mine. We just stared for what seemed the longest time.

"_Bo._" I heard a little voice say as a small hand forcefully came down on the side of the plate, knocking it and everything on it all over the bed. My eyes widened. The once neat and clean bed spread that was laid out across Carter's bed, the top half was covered in pancake, blueberries and sticky syrup. I watched my daughter as she giggled.

"Bo." Isabella said, taking a blueberry and squishing it before putting it in her mouth. Carter laughed. I turned my attention to her.

"I guess she likes blueberries." I heard Carter say, laughing while handing Isabella another berry.


	9. Chapter 9

"Go get Sophia." Antonio ordered one of his armed guards as he sat down. A couple minutes later the guard returned with a very upset Sophia behind him.

"Ah, Sophia. I want to keep this short, and how you say, hm, _sweet_." Antonio said with his heavy accent. Sophia looked at the man, her daughter's husband, with clear angst.

"Yes." She spat. Antonio's eyes became dark as he got out of his chair and stopped beside her, just staring. In an instant he grabbed her by her hair and threw her to the ground.

"I have not been rude to you, so I expect you to have the same respect." He spit down at her. He smiled his famous one.

"Now that we have that settled, I called you here for a reason. Where is Rosalinda?" He asked going back to his previous seat. Sophia got up and stood, arms crossed.

"I do not know where my daughter is at this moment. But if she is not with you then I know she is safe." Antonio just smiled and whispered to his guard behind him. The guard walked up to Sophia.

"Come with me." He said demanding, but polite. Sophia complied.

"I hope you go to Hell, hijo de puta, vergüenza . You are not meant to be king." She said as she left. Antonio smiled wider, raising his weapon of choice.

…

_**R**_

_"Say hello to your king." A gun shot rang out as gasps traveled through the crowd._

_"¿Por qué?" Screamed a man. The gunman turned to him and smiled an evil smile._

_"You refuse to tell me where she resides, so I will bring her to me."_

I woke with a start. Sitting up, clutching my chest, I took in quite a few deep breaths.

"Rosie, go back to bed." I heard Carter mumble beside me. As my breathing slowly returned to normal, I turned to look at her. Her face was shoved in the pillow, hair everywhere, as usual. _It was just a dream._ I kept repeating silently to myself as I laid back down. Carter cuddled closer to me, bringing her arm around my torso. We've come accustom to this in the last week or so. We are nothing more than close friends. At that thought my heart panged just a bit.

Even as Carter snuggled closer, I still could not relax after my nightmare. She came even closer, bringing her chin to rest on my shoulder. Her nose brushing the cloumn of my neck. I stiffened even more, not because of my dream, because of _her_. She took a deep breath.

"Why so tense?" She breathed out. I opened my eyes, looking at the ceiling.

"It is nothing, Carter. Go back to sleep." She shook her head.

"It is nothing." I repeated. I felt her snort out a breath of air on my neck.

"Oh, Come on." She said as she rubbed her nose on my neck. I let out a laugh, not only because of the foolishness of it, but it tickled. After a while I pushed her off. She gave me a pouty lip. I laughed again. _Why must she be so adorable?_ She looked at me expectantly.

"It is nothing, really, Carter." She smiled again before attacking my neck. I squealed before pushing her off yet again. I composed myself.

"It was just a silly night mare." I said. Although nothing about it was actually silly at all. I saw her face soften.

"Oh." I nodded.

"About what?" She asked softly. I sighed, but decided to tell her.

"It was about my kingdom." She tensed. I barely noticed it.

"Someone shot someone; I didn't see the faces though." I confessed. She sat up and turned away from me. _Did she think childish of me?_

"It was just a nightmare, a horrible figment of my imagination." I assured. She turned back to me with a smile.

"Ya." She turned back and looked over at her alarm clock.

"It's 9:13; I'm gonna make some toast. You want some?" She turned and asked me. I wasn't very hungry. But I didn't want to come off as rude. I nodded.

"Alrighty." Carter stretched again and got up. I laid back on the bed. _What is happening in my country?_ I wondered. I laid there for a couple of minutes more until I decided it was time go wake up Isabella.

As I opened the door I was bombarded with the scent of cinnamon. I made my mouth water, but at the same time made bile rise in my throat. As I got closer to the kitchen the latter feeling strengthened. I raised a hand to my mouth and quickly made my way to the bathroom. I forgot to close the door and just made it to the toilet. I heard footsteps pad their way to the bathroom and stop in the doorway. The need to heave subsided and I reluctantly swallowed and wiped my face with a wash cloth on the rack. I turned to Carter.

"Are you alright?" She questioned, taking a step closer to me. I nodded slightly. Vomiting had made me feel a little better. I still had a churning uneasy feeling in my stomach. When I was sure I could talk, I answered.

"Yes, just a spur of the moment sickness. I will be right out." I said finally rising to my feet.

"Ok." Carter said going out and I shut the door behind her.

When I was finished cleaning up I went back out to the dining room/kitchen. The strong sweet scent had gone away for the most part, thank goodness. I sat down at the table and took a sip of water from a glass on it. I heard Isabella start to fuss from her crib so I got up to go get her. I instantly felt the warmth of a hand on my shoulder, gently pushing me back down. I turned my head.

"Let me get her." Carter insisted. I slumped and sighed.

"Carter, really, this is all to much. I can get her." She looked down at me, eyes boring through me.

"Not for me. If it were my decision, I'd be doing a whole lot more." I let the statement sit with me. After she said it, Carter shook her head, almost sadly.

"You were just sick, Rosie, relax." She left for Isabella so I had no choice but to stay. _This woman is making it awfully hard for my teenage crush not to develop into more._

A few moments later Carter returned with Isabella in tow, awake and alert. She set her in her high chair and gave her some baby cheerios and blueberries, her new favorite food and word.

* * *

"Rosie you almost done?" I heard from outside the bathroom door. I wiped my mouth and looked in the mirror. _What's coming of me all of a sudden?_ Dabbing my face and fixing my make-up, I opened the door to see a scepticle looking Carter looking at me. She had Isabella on her hip, wearing the jean skirt and soft-green hooded shirt we bought her.

"Ready?" She asked. I nodded.

"Yes."

_**C**_

The drive to my dad's house was mostly silent and kind of awkward. I was thankful when I finally drove in the driveway. I got out of the car and waited for Rosie to get Bella. I opened the door and was greeted with the smell of my dad's famous chili. I turned to find him in the kitchen all decked out with a chef hat and an apron. I laughed at the sight. He turned and saw us and smiled. He gave me a bone-crushing hug and then turned to Rosie and gave her a gentle on-sided hug because she was holding Bella. When he came to Bella, he kissed her forehead. That made me smile.

"So how's the princess doing?" He asked once we were all settled in the kitchen.

"Good." Rosie and I reply at the same time. I looked over at her and she gave me a small smile, which I couldn't help but return.

"Y la reina?" I looked at my dad surprised. _Since when has he spoken Spanish?_ Rosie gave him a confused look as well, but answered none-the-less.

"Eh. Confundida, preocupada y un poco enferma. Pero contenta por su hija." She smiled at the end. I was so confused and out of the loop.

"¿Y tú?" She asked, continuing their conversation. My dad took the pot of chili off the stove and set it on a hot top on the table.

"Bueno, supongo. No deseando salir, pero ¿qué puedo hacer?" He took his seat and started serving us.

"Sí, lo sé Carter te extraña, tan bien como yo, sino ayudar a la gente, que es lo que estás." She looked at my dad and he nodded sincerely. _Ok, I heard my name. I wanna know what's going on._

"I heard my name." I stated breaking their Spanish conversation. My dad smiled, so did Rosie.

"Muy bien, Carter." Rosie said smiling at me.

"Guys!" I pouted. They both laughed. I deepen my pout, crossing my arms for effect.

"Este es divertido." Rosie said to my dad who nodded.

"Sí, mucho." _Ugh. Why did I have to take French in high school? If I followed the crowd I'd at least have a small clue as to what they were saying. But, no, I had to be a rebel._

"Fine, go one speaking your 'Español', I'll just talk to Bella. At least she likes me." I leaned over to Bella in her high chair.

"Hey, Bella."

"Perro!" She cooed. I looked over to where she was looking through the window. There was a woman walking her dog.

"Thanks Bella." I said exasperatedly, shaking my head.

* * *

I hugged my dad for a short while. I didn't want to let him go. Even though I was sure he was going to be okay. He was always careful on missions.

"Be careful." I said as I pulled away a bit, looking up at him.

"Aren't I always?" He asked with a slight smile.

"Just promise me." I said hugging him again.

"Ok, I promise." He said when we pulled apart, this time for good. He waved to Rosie when I got in the jeep.

I turned the engine, pulling out of the driveway, concentrating on the road, so I wouldn't cry. I may come off as rough and tough tomboy, but what people don't know is I get this way every time my dad leaves. I worry like a manic. I sighed. _He's gonna be ok._ I kept repeating the statement in my head.

When I got to the house I unlocked the door and just stood there. Rosie came behind my with Bella and hugged me. That was it, I came apart. I cried on her shoulder. It was silent, just the sound of me crying. When I stopped I heard a small voice.

"Car?" It was Bella. She looked at me with a sad face. It was the cutest damned thing ever.

"Carter esta triste, mi corazóna." I heard Rosie say to Bella.

"Carter's sad." She said kissing Bella's forehead.

"Car." She said cuddling up to me. I smiled through my now retreating tears.

"Car's alright, now." I said picking her up from Rosie. She smiled. I hugged her. I was alright now. I wasn't alone worrying about what was happening to my dad or where he was. I had Rosie and Bella with me. I loved at Isabella in my arms, content, to Rosie. My life was good right now.

"Wanna go somewhere?" I asked Rosie. She looked up.

"Sure. Where?" She asked curiously as I got my coat on and put Bella's on.

"It's a surprise." I said as we went out. I wanted to take Rosie to the one place no one has ever known about, to talk about the things that are being left unsaid. I got to a driveway and looked at Rosie.

"Would you mind if Helen watched Bella again?" She shook her head.

"I'll be back." I said as I got out of the jeep and went to get Bella. I knocked on the door.

"Hold on a sec!" I heard Helen shout. She came to the door and looked out the window.

"Hey, kiddo." She said when she opened the door.

"Hey. Do you mind watching Bella?"

"No, why?" She asked.

"I-Rosie and I are gonna spend some time alone." A smile made its way up Helen's face.

"Alrighty." I thanked her and went back down to the jeep.

When we got to the place I parked and Rosie gave me a weird look. I just smiled and got out of the jeep. She followed.

"Where are we?"

"My sanctuary." She looked around.

"An abandoned boat docking house?" I nodded and sat down on the edge of the dock, letting my feet dip into the water. Rosie came and sat down beside me. I stared off at the water.

"I first came down here when my mom died." I saw her look at me; I still kept my head forward.

"My dad was so sad, he lost his one love, and I didn't want him to have to be strong and comfort me, so I was strong around him. So I told him I was going to visit Ed, but instead I ran and this is where my feet took me." I moved my foot in the water, distracting myself from the emotions that were flooding back.

"Carter-"

"I wanted to take you here to talk. You've been here for almost a month and we haven't really talked. This is where I feel the most comfortable, and I wanted to bring you here because I trust you and want you to know where I go if you ever need to find me. 97% of the time I'm here." I finally took the courage to look over at her. She had tear sprung in her eyes. That made me want to cry. I didn't want her sad, not because of me. I saw one make its way down her soft doll-like cheek. I reached a hand over and wiped it of.

"No, don't cry." I said feeling tears start to sting my eyes. She just shook her head.

"That is just awful." She said in a almost cracking voice.

"Ya, but that's also life. People have had a lot worse happen to them. That's just my past. It's over." Rosie nodded. I noticed I hadn't removed my hand, so I did.

"Do you miss her?" Rosie asked in a soft voice. I turned and looked back out over the lake.

"Ya, I do. A lot. I remember once, when I was 10, my friend Sarah was having a fake wedding , to her "boyfriend" at her back yard and I told my mom about it. She was excited and said that we'd go shopping that weekend. We did, but not for what I wanted. She brought me to a dress shop, full of poof, puff-ball, pink and purple dresses. All the P's I hated." I took a breath and felt the tears pour slowly, but laughed at the memory.

"All the dresses she made me try on I hated. But I was drawn to the mini tuxes. I picked on out that I liked and tried it on while she was looked at the dresses and when I came out of the changing room the sales person as well as some of the people shopping looked at me weird. But my mom looked at and smiled and said I looked very dapper. That was the best day of my ten year old life." I smiled and looked down and moved my feet in the water again. I wiped the tears that escaped. Once I calmed myself I looked a Rosie.

"Can you tell me what Antonio did to you?" I asked in soft voice. I wanted to know, but not to push her. This is why I brought her here. I wanted to talk. She sighed and looked down.

"What do you prefer I start with?" She said looking down.

"What ever you're comfortable with."

"Antonio wasn't always a bad man. Or he didn't come off as one when he was courting me. Everyone was happy I finally said yes to his proposal. I declined him for two years, but figured, he was of a good background and good country. So I accepted and months later we got married. He was still a nice guy for the first couple of months we were married. When he asked to start trying for a baby, "an hier" he called it, I said no. I mean we had already consummated our vows, but we did not do much after that. I did not love Antonio, so why give myself to him when I did not need to. That's when he started getting angrier and he would do things behind closed doors or even in front of people. A week after I said I did not want to start trying for an heir he started his ventings in the bedroom. Needless to say, I got pregnant with Isabella a couple months later and even though did not want one to begin with with, I was happy. Oh so happy. But when Antonio found out it was a girl, he was angry. Angrier than I had ever seen him before. And when Isabella was born he seemed on rage. He'd hide it well in front of people, he was a good pretender. And then one morning he just, he wanted a boy heir and he-" She drew in a shaky breath. I put an arm around her.

"_Fuck._ You don't have to tell me, Rosie. Just, lets talk about something else." She shook her head and continued.

"He forced himself on me. I couldn't do anything. When I tried he grabbed me and pinned me down. So I just let him do what he wanted and when he was done he left. I was limp and Isabella was crying and I couldn't do anything to help her." The last part made me break. You could tell Rosie was hurting. _That fucking bastard._ I hated him first off, but now he was pure evil in my eyes.

_**R**_

I felt Carter's eyes on me. I looked up from the lake.

"Are you ok? I'm sorry." She said.

"Yes, I am alright. Why are you sorry?" I asked as I shifted my weight and sat on one leg crossed under me.

"I shouldn't have asked. That's really harsh." She said looking down again. I hated when she did that: I couldn't see her eyes. I loved her eyes. They were my favorite feature of hers. If you looked into them, they bore her soul.

"No, that's why you asked me here; you said it was to talk about things unsaid. That was unsaid and now it is not. It was just a bad part of my life and like your's it is in the past, over with. But you were right: talking about things does make you feel better." I smiled and so did she. Then she laughed. I looked at her confused.

"Do you always have to talk like that?"

"What way do wish I talk?" She laughed again.

"I don't know. With contractions don't, can't, shouldn't."

"That would go against all the laws of being royalty." I said in a serious voice. She looked at me with a gapped mouth. It made me want to laugh, but I refrained.

"Seriously?" I nodded curtly. I kept my facade for a minute more or so and then a smiled formed.

"What?" Carter asked confused. That made me giggle.

"There is not any "royalty laws", Carter, I was just kidding." I said with a playful smile.

"Oh." Carter said. She drew her gazed down. In the moonlight I saw a faint shade of pink rise on her cheeks.

"You are blushing, Carter." I stated with slight glee to my voice. She turned around quickly and sent a glare my way.

"Am not." I let out a laugh.

"It is ok, Carter, I think it is cute." I smiled and brought a hand up to her cheek. She leaned into my touch. I closed my eyes and focused on the feelings that were coming over me. I slowly inched closer to her. I bravely brought my mouth upon hers, kissing her. She responded almost immediately. She brought her hands to my waist and placed me in her lap. Truthfully, this is how I wanted our other kiss to go. I felt Carter's hands travel up my back, to my shoulders. She pushed away from me. She was breathing hard, harder than I was.

"What was that?" She asked still breathing heavily. I took a deep breath and let it out, trying to compose myself before talking.

"That was what should have happened at prom and last week." She smiled, but then her face became neutral, unreadable.

"Rosie, you know how I feel about you. You doing that isn't helping me keep this solely a friendship."

"What if I don't want it to be just a friendship, Carter?" She looked at me.

"Rosie-" I shook my head. She wasn't going to interrupt this moment of courage that I've waited years to have.

"Please refrain from speaking." I shushed her and continued.

"Carter." I took a breath. "What I feel toward you isn't friendship, not at all. When I was pushed on to you and your dad you were interesting and new to me. Everyone around me before then were other royalty, or workers of mine. So you were brand new. A person who didn't dress in fancy outfits and spoke out of term, spoke her mind, _a lot._ That difference made me want to get to know you and become friends. Then when we were friends and that was great, but then it turned into more. I wanted to be close to you, you to hold me, me to hold you. But I couldn't get to that stage because I left." I looked at Carter only for a second. She grabbed my face and brought it to hers in a forceful yet gentle way. Our lips met this time and the kiss was a rush of all the built up emotions. When we pulled apart this time it was because of lack of air. We both had foolish smiles on our faces.

"That was so much better than I ever thought it would be." She said with a smile still cascading on her face.

_**C**_

"You've thought about kissing me?" Rosie asked. She was so adorably naive.

"Oh course, who wouldn't. You're adorable and sexy rolled into one woman." I pointed out. She blushed.

"Now, who's blushing?" I teased. She just stuck her tongue out at me.

"Don't tease me." I said smirking. She just pushed me lightly. But it was enough to make me lean and almost fall in the lake.

"Whoa." She quickly grabbed my shirt and stopped my from falling, but I fell on top of her. I looked down at her. I moved my hair that was over her face behind my ear and kissed her softly and swiftly on the lips. When she started to kiss back I pulled away. I pecked her lips again, same as last time. This time though, Rosie frowned when I pulled away.

"You are quite a tease, Carter Mason." She said with a slight glare. I laughed. This time I kissed and when she kissed my back I didn't break it, I deepened the kiss. After a couple minutes I made my way to pull away, but Rosie put her hand in my hair and forced my mouth to stay. I couldn't help but moan. Rosie smiled into the kiss. A couple seconds later I swiftly pulled away and we were both breathing heavy. Her hands were still attached to my hair. She was smiling. I smiled and moved to her neck. I breathed in her natural scent and I was hooked. I placed my mouth on the contours of her shoulder and gave her a light kiss and started a journey to the column of her neck. I kissed that more forcefully. I heard Rosie approve so I continued. Then an annoying sound broke my spell.

"C-carter, do you wa-want to get that?" Rosie said taking deep breaths. I sighed and grabbed my cell phone out of my pocket, flipping it open.

"Somebody better be dying." I said annoyed something always interrupting us.

"Carter, it's Helen." That sobered me up a lot. Helen had Isabella.


	10. Chapter 10

**_NEW_ CHAPTER!**

"Ya, what's wrong? Is Bella ok?" I asked in a jumbled, worried mess. My lack of oxygen wasn't helping either.

"We're at the hospital." My heart picked up ten fold. Rosie looked at me worried.

"We'll be there in 20 minutes." I said into the receiver of my phone, snapping it shut after hearing Helen agree. I got up off the bridge, helping Rosie up and we made our way down to the jeep.

"What is wrong with Isabella?" Rosie looked like she was about to cry. I couldn't blame her; I will too if anything happens to Bella. But Bella's _her daughter_.

"I don't know, Rosie. All I know is Helen and Bella are at the hospital." Rosie's face changed to shocked. I didn't know what to do to calm her worries this time. I hated not knowing things.

* * *

We made it to the hospital in 11 minutes. When we got to the waiting room Helen was in the back corner of the waiting room.

"Helen what happened?" I asked as soon as we got up to her. She looked up at the both of us with the saddest look I've ever seen her have.

"I don't know. I was playing with her on the couch in my living room and I got up to get something in the bathroom. When I got back, I saw she had fallen cut open her head and was bleeding pretty bad, so I went to bandage and clean it up, but it wouldn't stop bleeding." She looked down again.

"Helen, it's not your fault." I tried to sympathize with her. As worried as I am about Rosie, it really wasn't Helen's fault. I looked over at Rosie; she looked oddly calm. Probably still shocked.

"Carter is right; it is not your fault. I do not blame you." Rosie spoke softly as she gently took a seat next to Helen. I sat next to her. She leaned into me, which shocked me, but I just brought my arm around her and rubbed circles around her back.

It was about seven minutes later when a doctor came into the doorway.

"Parents of Isabella Raihson." The doctor spoke, looking up from his clipboard.

"Yes." Rosie and I said at the same time. I surprised myself. Rosie looked over at me, but just made her way to meet the doctor halfway. I followed.

"Mrs. Raison, your daughter has suffered seriously from a minor injury. And when I say minor, I mean it. Your daughter sustained an abrasion on her head from a short fall. Normally with this type of cut, all you'd need is a band-aid and some TLC, but in your daughter's case, she doesn't have enough hemoglobin in her blood to clot it when she gets a gash or a cut. That made the injury a little more serious." He looked at all of us before continuing.

"We have her stabilized, the bleeding has stopped as well." I looked from Rosie, to the doctor, hope shining in my eyes.

"So, she's okay to go home?" The doctor shook his head.

"Because this fact wasn't present on her records previously, when she showed up in our office, we had to run a couple of tests to get the proper diagnosis. She lost quite a bit of blood in the past two hours. And for that reason, she is a little bit weak as of yet. Right now, we have her in a bed, with a fluids IV, restoring that."

"Okay, where does that leave us. When can we take her home?" The doctor, whose eyes have been trained on Rosie for the majority of his spiel now turned to me. I just realized during this whole info session on Isabella, _Rosie's _daughter, I was the only one who spoke up.

"When will I be able to take my daughter home?" Rosie spoke directly to the doctor. He looked over his clipboard before he answered.

"We're holding her for observation for the next two hours. Then, we'll reevaluate her and take it from there." He looked in between Rosie and I.

"Okay?" He asked politely. I just nodded my head.

"Yes, thank you so much, Doctor." Rosie and he shook hands.

"No need to thank me." He smiled. "If you need anything, just page the front." He turned to go.

"Doctor?"

"Yes, Mrs. Raison?"

"Am I allowed to see my daughter?" The doctor let out a nervous laugh.

"Of course, my apologies. Your daughter's being kept in room 111. It is right down that hallway, 4th door on the right." He pointed of directions to Rosie.

"Thank you again, Doctor." The doctor just nodded with a knowing smile and left. Rosie looked at me.

"I'm going to go see Bella." I nodded, staying where I was until she disappeared around the corner. Then, I went and sat down next to Helen who didn't hear what the doctor told Rosie and I.

"Hey," I said, putting a friendly hand on her shoulder. She turned to look at me.

"Where's Rosie?"

"She went to check on Isabella." Helen became quiet again.

"Helen, it's really not your fault. Rosie doesn't blame any of this on you." Helen nodded aimlessly, not believing me.

"Isabella's going to be okay." She lifted her head to look at me.

"Really?"

"Yeah. They have her all settled. We just have to keep her here for observations for the next couple hours."

"That makes me feel a little better."

"Good." I smiled at her.

"Why don't you go home, I mean, there's no reason for you to be stuck here. And I'll call you when we get back home." Helen looked skeptical.

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"Alright. Thanks, sweetheart." We hugged and I saw her off before returning to the waiting room wondering if I should stay in here or go in the room with her and her daughter.

I sat there in the waiting room basically alone, aside from an older women, sitting by herself. I thought about the past three weeks. What brought Rosie and Isabella here, what Rosie had gone through before hand.

"Miss."

Rosie's been through a lot in the last 6 years some I know and some I don't know about, but yet she still keeps her head held high and goes on. I don't think I'd be able to do that and I've been trained by the best. But that's just who Rosie is, she's one hell of a strong woman.

"Miss. Mason?" I turned to see the same doctor who met Rosie and I earlier.

"Hmm?"

"Mrs. Raison asked for me to come get you." I got up silently, thanking the doctor as I made my way to Isabella's room.

* * *

When I got to room, the door was closed. I braced myself, taking a deep breath and letting it out before opening the door. I opened the door and saw one of the most precious things; Rosie was singing Bella a lullaby in French. It sounded to soothing. I just stood in the door way in watched for a few moments, not wanting to ruin their mother-daughter moment.

After a couple of minutes of watching the interaction between Rosie and her daughter, I softly knocked on the door. Rosie turned to look, when she saw it was me she gave me a small smile. Then Bella looked and saw me.

"Car!" She exclaimed excitedly, but a little less than her normal self.

"Hey, Pal. How you holdin' up?" I made my way toward the bed, putting a comforting arm around Rosie. Bella's face fell to a pained frown.

"Sorwer. Tiwerd." She mumbled, followed by a yawn. The sight tore me apart. Isabella was in a way-too-big-for-her hospital bed, with an IV attached to her tiny wrist. Though I knew it was helping her, it still pained me to see young girl in that position. I watched as her little eyes slowly closed. Then I turned my attention to Rosie, giving her shoulder and gentle squeeze.

"Hey, Rosie?" She leaned against me, looking up to my eyes.

"How're you feeling?" She turned and faced her whole body to me.

"I am alright, I suppose." She sighed. She was silent, but I could tell there was more she wanted to say. So I waited patiently for her to continue.

"What can I do? My daughter is in a bed in a hospital, with a needle in her arm, in pain and I can't do anything to comfort her besides sitting here." She looked down as a couple stray tears fell. I gently wiped them off her face before I even noticed what I was doing.

"Rosie," I lifted her chin so her eyes and mine connected. "There's nothing you can do. Babies fall and scrape their knee and what not; It's like not-baby-ish for them not to. It's just Bella needs to be more careful now; that's all. And we'll make sure of that." Rosie stopped crying and even gave me a small smile. I got up from my crouching position going to get a chair.

"Where are you going?" She turned and asked me. I gave her a smile.

"I'm just going to get this chair." I picked up the chair and put it next to Rosie's. When I did, Rosie moved next to me. I put my arm around her and she leaned in closer. I leaned back, getting more comfortable, letting a welcomed silence come around us.

"Is there a reason why you called me in here?" I asked, eyes closed. I felt Rosie let out a breath before answering.

"Isabella asked for you actually. Well, she asked where Car was." I let out a soft laugh as did she.

"Is there a reason why you didn't follow me in?" She asked a few moments later. I shifted, opening my eyes, staring at the corner of the wall and ceiling. Rosie moved as well. She stared at me.

"I wanted to make sure you had your time with her. For you to look her over or talk to her or whatever. And I felt like if I was in here, I'd be interrupting that." I looked down to her mocha eyes, which were still staring at me. She looked down and then back at me.

"I don't know why you would think that, Carter. But thank you for given us some time, although I would not have minded otherwise for you to be in here." I just shrugged before returning to my comfortable position and pulling her back to hers.

* * *

"Ladies?" I faintly heard.

"Mrs. Raison and Miss. Mason?" I slowly opened my eyes and blinked a couple of times. My vision cleared and I saw the doctor. I shifted uncomfortably. Rosie was still asleep beside me.

"Rosie?" I waited. She didn't wake up so I shook her again. This time she did and looked at me.

"The doctor's here." I said getting up and stretching, she followed suit. The doctor looked down at his chart, wrote something down and then looked at the monitor Isabella was hooked up to and jotted something else down. After he was down that he turned his attention to us.

"Her vitals seem relatively normal now, just a bit low, but that should be normal by lunch time tomorrow. As for her blood pressure, her color has returned to normal, so there's no need to wake her up and check for that." He took a final look down at his tan folder in his hands.

"I'd say she's ready to head home." Rosie's face brightened and I let out a breath I wasn't aware I was holding.

"All you need to do is sign this." The doctor handed Rosie a paper and his clipboard to write on.

"And you guys are good to go. Just when you're ready, check out at the nurses office so they can clip her bracelet." He spoke as Rosie handed him back the paperwork. We both nodded, giving our thanks.

Once the doctor left Rosie went over to her daughter, lifting her up into her arms. She stirred a little bit.

"Mommy, Car. Where oso?" Her head rested against Rosie's shoulder.

"Shh," I watched as Rosie soothed her baby. "Mommy and Car are here, Buddy's in the jeep." Bella's head drooped further, accepting the answer.

"Ready?"

"Mhm." I let her walk in front of me with Bella. She stopped at the Nurses' counter long enough to have them cut Bella's bracelet off, then walking out.

As we walked out in the parking lot, Bella noticeably shivered. It was much cooling in the time of night it was than when she got her, some five hours ago. Seeing as Rosie and I came no longer than an half an hour behind Helen and Bella, Rosie had no coat to offer. But I had my buttoned up, flannel shirt, which I always wore an undershirt with. I unbuttoned it as we walked to my jeep, tossing it over Bella as we reached the it. I saw Rosie draw a quick glimpse at me before she climbed into the passenger side.

* * *

The ride home was almost completely silent. Rosie kept her gaze from her daughter to looking outside her window. And I didn't talk, no sense to.

When we did get to the house, we got out and I unlocked the door, excusing myself to the bathroom. I changed, brushed my teeth and washed my face before going to see where Rosie went. I found her in my bedroom and Bella in the old bassinet still placed at the end out my king size bed. She adored the edge while singing to Bella.

I softly took a seat beside her. She was singing in Spanish again. I wondered what the song was about, so after she finished I asked, "What the story behind that song?"

"It is basically about a bird, the size of your hummingbird. It starts off small and fragile, hating the world because of it, but ends up finding its song and place in nature."

"Interesting. You'll have to teach it to me sometime." I gave her a warm smile, which she returned. I looked at what she was still wearing; her clothes from this morning.

"Are you gonna get changed into something more comfortable?" She nodded discreetly, taking one more look at her sleeping baby before she left to change.

"Sh-sugar donuts!" I loudly whispered, catching myself before I swore. Even if Bella was asleep, I didn't want her to add any swears to her vocabulary at least not from me._ I forgot to feed Sparky. _I got up from the corner of my bed and walked out to my kitchen.

"Whoa!" I grabbed Rosie's hips, making sure neither of us feel, from me running into her. "My bad." I excused as I let her go with a cheeky smile, going to my fish. I gave Sparky a few sprinkles before heading back to my room. When I entered Rosie was just snuggling into the comforter. The sight made me smile even more.

I shut the light off and closed the bedroom door before doing so myself. A couple of minutes in, Rosie migrated toward me and snuggled up against collarbone. I wrapped my arms around her, getting more situated. I felt her smile against my exposed skin.

"Better?" I asked with a sarcastic undertone. Rosie head rose as she looked me in the eyes. "Much." She said, giving me a peck on the lips before taking back her previous position.

* * *

**Nota Importante de la autora;** Hey guys :) Long, long, _long _time no see. Sorry about that, life got in the way and whatnot. Interest lost and gained and lost again. And school, oh **_school._**No me gusta escuela. But to my loyal followers of this story on my other account, hopefully some of you came to follow it here. I don't know. Depending on the reviews I get on this chapter will determine if I continue with this story or not; because if no one's interested, why waste my time. Because honestly another story I'm writing has a lot more of my attention than this one. But I finally got this chapter finished and uploaded. -I know it's not the best. Sorry 'bout that-

_**Enjoy :)**_


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